WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. suffered a hand injury and his status is questionable for his title defense against Derrieck Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) on November 8th. With Norman Jr, 23, potentially off the November 8th card, that leaves a vacancy that Top Rank will need to fill.
WBO 147-lb champion Norman was recently in negotiations for a unification fight against IBF champion Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, but talks fell apart over money. Boots’ promoter, Eddie Hearn, was unable to close the deal.
Norman Jr. was one of the two best fighters on the card. The other is lightweight talent, Abdullah Mason. These two are the real stars of this event.
Chris Mannix reports that Norman Jr. (26-0, 20 KOs) has a hand injury, putting his status in doubt for the co-feature spot on the Keyshawn Davis vs. Gustavo Lemos card on ESPN.+.
If Norman Jr. scratched off the card, Top Rank will have to decide who to move up to the co-feature spot. Keyshawn’s brother, light welterweight bonus contender Kelvin Davis (13-0, 7 KOs), fights Yeis Solano on the undercard. However, fans do not see Kelvin as a future world champion. He is an average fighter, but he has limited strength and skills.
Abdullah Mason (15-0, 13 KOs) is scheduled to face Yohan Vasquez (26-5, 21 KOs) in an eight-round bout. Mason (20) is the logical replacement for Norman Jr. in the main support slot. If Top Rank moves Mason to the main support spot, it will ensure that fans don’t see Norman Jr. will not miss
Southpaw Mason should be the front runner on the card as he is a much better fighter than Keyshawn Davis and a much more entertaining guy. Keyshawn hasn’t shown any progress since losing to Cuba’s Andy Cruz in the finals of the 2020 Olympics, and it’s doubtful he’ll make it as a pro.
25-year-old Keyshawn is fishing for big paydays against Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney, but no luck.
Mannix says ticket sales are “outstanding” for the Keyshawn vs. Lemos event, and he expects it to be a sellout at the Scopes Arena in Norfolk, Virginia. It’s 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn’s hometown, so it’s no surprise that the tickets are moving.
Brian Norman, who is scheduled to defend his 147-pound title on Nov. 8, has a hand injury and his status for a scheduled fight against Derrieck Cuevas is in doubt, sources said @SInow.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) September 27, 2024
