The King of the South, who sits atop the welterweight throne, has a brand-new deal.
WBO world champion Brian “The Assassin II” Norman Jr. has inked a multi-year contract extension with Top Rank, keeping the undefeated power-punching prodigy aligned with the promotional powerhouse.
The 24-year-old Norman will make the third defense of his title against Devin “The Dream” Haney on Nov. 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“When I watch Brian Norman Jr., I think of all the legendary welterweights I’ve promoted. He has the physical tools and maturity required to become a generational fighter,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “We are thrilled to be part of the next phase of Brian’s career, which I believe will see him ascend from world champion to the top of the pound-for-pound list.”
“I believe in loyalty,” Norman said. “Top Rank believed in me from the start, and I’m proud to keep building with the home team. We’re only getting started.”
“It has been a total team effort to get Brian Norman Jr. to where he is today,” said Adrian Clark, CEO of Fighters First Management. “I must credit Brian Norman Sr., Jolene Mizzone, and the Hall of Fame matchmakers, Brad Goodman and Bruce Trampler. We are excited to continue our partnership with Top Rank.”
Norman (28-0, 22 KOs), from the Atlanta suburb of Decatur, Georgia, signed with Top Rank as a 22-0 rising star in December 2022. He had a nomadic start to his pro career, which began at the age of 17 and included 13 bouts in Mexico. That experience served Norman well when he traveled to Giovani Santillan’s hometown of San Diego in May 2024 and upset the local hero by 10th-round stoppage. He won the WBO interim world title with that triumph and was elevated to full champion after Terence Crawford vacated the title.
Norman sat out the rest of 2024 after undergoing hand surgery and made his 2025 debut in March with a third-round bludgeoning of Derrieck Cuevas. He authored the Knockout of the Year in June with a left hook that flattened Japanese contender Jin Sasaki in front of a stunned crowd in Tokyo.