BrianNorman Jr. doesn’t seem interested in taking a long break after a second-round knockout victory over Josh Wagner last Saturday night in Norfolk, Virginia.

The former WBO welterweight champion later said he viewed the fight as a step towards returning to activity after some time away from the ring, and made it clear he wanted another fight soon.

“I mean, it was chilly, but I mean, I only had two rounds. I wanted to annoy him a little bit when I saw he had grown a little bit, but no, the guy was going to take me out,” Norman Jr. told DAZN Boxing after the fight, talking about his victory over Wagner.

“But no, it was fun. I guess you could say I’m dusting myself off. But man, let me get right back to it.”

Norman Jr. he also said that he has already started working with trainer Ronnie Shields, adding that the cooperation helped him stay peaceful in the ring after an aggressive start with Wagner.

“I learned a lot from him, just being peaceful and collected. You know what I’m saying? I just kept relaxing,” Norman Jr. said.

“This is home to me now. I mean, no matter what, I don’t care who’s looking here and who’s not. Can you feel me? I’m stepping into these ropes. This is my workplace. This is my home.”

25-year-old Norman Jr. he’ll likely need a stronger opponent next time if he hopes to get back into position for another welterweight title fight. A rematch with Devin Haney would be one of the biggest fights available for him, and fights against WBA champion Rolando Romero or WBC titleholder Ryan Garcia could also become options if Norman Jr. he will continue to win.

Tomek Galm is a boxing journalist covering the global fight landscape since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, industry trends and fighter psychology.

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Last updated: 17/05/2026 at 11:03

Oscar De La Hoya spoke out after Canelo Alvarez’s fight with Christian Mbilli, questioning the Mexican’s ambitions as he approaches retirement.

The 35-year-old has not fought since losing four world titles to Terence Crawford, whose unanimous decision victory made him the undisputed three-weight champion in September.

However, since Crawford later retired and vacated all four super middleweight belts, Canelo is now scheduled to face WBC champion Mbilli in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

The two teams are scheduled to meet in September, and Alvarez will look to prove that he is still capable of competing at the highest level.

Mbilli, on the other hand, is looking to establish himself as the 168-pound flagship operator after rising from “interim” to full WBC champion.

Like Canelo, the Frenchman has not fought since last September, when he boxed to a 10-round draw with undefeated challenger Lester Martinez.

It could therefore be said that Mbilli’s world-class credentials remain somewhat questionable, at least in the eyes of Canelo’s former promoter De La Hoya.

I’m talking to Fighting Hub TVthe Golden Boy boss revealed that he does not rate Mbilla as Alvarez’s opponent, nor does he think it will be a particularly successful event in Riyad.

“Mbilli, come on. I just don’t like this fight, especially if it doesn’t happen here in the US. Do we have to watch the fight at 9 a.m. again? I’m just not a fan of it.”

“I would love for Canelo to fight here in Vegas in September with all the fans cheering him on. That’s what fight fans want to experience – massive events.

“Every fighter has his peak and then you start to see the exit coming. [Canelo’s] He’s a few fights away from retirement, so I don’t blame him for taking the money and running. But I feel like he still has a few good fights left against great fighters. Not Mbilla.

Since Canelo and De La Hoya rarely see eye to eye, perhaps it’s not surprising that the two-time Hall of Famer isn’t the biggest supporter of his former client fighting again.

Norman immediately took action and looked sharper from the first round, putting Wagner on the defensive with difficult right hands and quick combinations. Wagner tried to stay dynamic early, but Norman’s speed and power quickly separated the two fighters.

The finish came in the second round when Norman dropped Wagner with a bulky right hand for the first time in the exchange. Wagner got up, but Norman quickly returned to the attack and moments later scored another knockdown with a combination that seriously injured Wagner.

After the second knockdown, Wagner indicated he could not continue the fight, which led to the referee waving the fight after a brief consultation with the ringside doctor.

Norman said: “I came out trying to take his head off. I took a substantial swing. But then I decided to take it straightforward, work on my jab and stick to my fundamentals. And that’s when I got the job done.”

“I was thinking about working on the body shot. I looked at him and saw he wasn’t very mighty in the stomach.”

“I learned a lot with Ronnie Shields. I’m calmer and more composed. This ring is my home now. We’ll see what happens next. No matter what, I’ll take care of business.”

The performance was an critical return for Norman after losing his WBO welterweight title to Haney last November. Norman was knocked down in the third round of that fight before losing a wide decision, but he showed no hesitation in his first appearance since the defeat.

Norman improved to 29-1 with his 23rd knockout victory, while Wagner dropped to 19-3. The quick finish also puts Norman in good position for bigger fights in the welterweight division as he tries to get back into title contention.