Brian Norman Jr vs Derrieck Cuevas Predictions: ‘Boots’ still looms for Brian Norman Jr

WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr. takes on Derrieck Cuevas this Saturday, March 29 at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas. The world title attraction takes place on the same card as Mikaela Mayer vs Sandy Ryan II, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. 

Here are my Norman Jr. vs Cuevas predictions ahead of this exciting championship 12-rounder.

Brian Norman Jr. vs Derrick Cuevas Odds

Cuevas is a 5/1 underdog in this one while Norman is your favourite at 1/8. The draw is priced at 16/1.

Brian Norman Jr. vs Derrick Cuevas Fight Preview

Norman makes the first defence of the WBO welterweight championship in this fight. ‘The Assassin II’ stopped undefeated Giovani Santillan for the vacant interim belt last May, before seeing his status upgraded when then-champ Terence Crawford moved to super welterweight.

This fight was originally scheduled to take place last November, before Norman withdrew with a hand injury. Boxing often moves fast and there are no shortage of fights that get canned in the name of progress. But Cuevas has held onto his title shot and gets a belated opportunity to reign.

Some would call him fortunate. Certainly, Cuevas’ record does not scream “world title challenger”. He has an injury TKO over gatekeeper Alberto Mosquera and inflicted the second knockout loss of Marlon Aquas’ career. Perhaps most damning is the fact he is the only person that middle-aged Argentine Damian Bonelli has beaten in his last 14 fights. 

That slip-up in journeyman company could have set a ceiling on Cuevas but, to his credit, it did not. He kept winning afterwards and now finds himself matched against a fast-rising, big-punching world champion.

Norman is attracting plenty of attention for his combination of slickness and power. He takes a few more punches than he needs to and, someday, that flaw is going to get tested.

But Norman is impressive and adaptable. He is equally adept fighting on the back or front-foot. Jesus ‘Ricky’ Perez pushed him hard in their eight-rounder, constantly pouring forward. But Norman fended off his attacks and responded in kind. The defensive skills are there, even if ‘The Assassin II’ does love a tear-up.

Against Santillan in his title-winning effort, Norman went on the attack. Against an unbeaten and impressive opponent, the Georgia native wore him down and then secured a ruthless finish. There are two sides to the 24-year-old. The Mayweather-indebted slickster and the destructive man of war.

Which do we get on Saturday? I’m leaning towards the latter. Cuevas is on a run of four stoppages and will likely try to push the pace. But I think Norman will match it rather than run from it. He has the power in this fight and I think that could prove the deciding factor.

Brian Norman Jr. vs Derrick Cuevas Full Card

Brian Norman Jr vs Derrieck Cuevas

Mikaela Mayer vs Sandy Ryan

Bruce Carrington vs Enrique Vivas

Delante Johnson vs Kendo Castaneda

Emiliano Vargas vs Giovannie Gonzalez

Emmanuel Chance vs Miguel Guzman

Dedrick Crocklem vs Dionne Ruvalcaba

Brian Norman Jr. vs Derrick Cuevas Prediction

I think Norman has the tools to hold that world title for a while. A collision course with IBF champion Jaron Ennis complicates that, as ‘Boots’ has the makings of a pound-for-pounder in the future. But I do believe Norman belongs at world level. Norman has turned that fight down once reportedly, but it still looms large.

I think Cuevas’ night will end before the 12th round. How soon before is open to interpretation. He has never been stopped but his level of competition and struggles with Bonelli suggest it’s possible.

I’m taking Norman by knockout at 5/6. I’m stopping short of picking a round because we haven’t yet seen Cuevas’ limit. But we will on Saturday.

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