Benn Won’t Say My Son’s Name Or Fight Norman Jr

Brian Norman Sr. says Conor Penn intentionally did not mention his son, WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr., last Saturday night when he talked about moving up to 147 to fight for a world title because “He doesn’t want this smoke.”

Brian Sr. says Ben “doesn’t want this business” against Norman Jr. (28-0, 22 KOs). That’s why he called up four more fighters at 147 after defeating Chris Eubank Jr. in a rematch last Saturday, November 15, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Penn (24-1, 14 KO) dropped from 160 to 147 after two British-level celebrity bouts against Eubank Jr., bankrolled by Turki Al-Sheikh.

“A big star is born,said promoter Eddie Hearn after Penn’s win over Eubank Jr. “This (Connor Penn) is the star of the 147-pound division. This is the money of the division. That’s why everyone calls him.”

Penn has never defeated any notable welterweight fighter. His best wins in the 147-pound division before he made it to 160 in two fights against Eubank Jr. came against 37-year-old Chris Algieri and Chris Van Heerden.

“None of them,” Brian Norman Sr. told MillCity Boxing magazine of British fighters Conor Penn and Chris Eubank Jr., not being able to fight high-level fighters because they would lose. So, they have to fight each other.

If Norman Jr. destroys Haney on Saturday, November 22nd in their fight on Turki’s Riyadh season card at ANB Arena, it will put Penn and Hearn in a tough position if they choose not to fight him or even mention his name.

“Let’s talk about who didn’t call out. Let’s talk about who called out and who didn’t call out,” Norman Sr. said of Connor Penn after his win over Eubank Jr. last Saturday night.

After the fight, which Penn won via 12-round unanimous decision, these fighters called out:

• Mario Barrios – WBC 147 lbs champion
• Rolando “Rolly” Romero – WBA champion
• Ryan Garcia
• Devin Haney

Ben didn’t mention Norman Jr.’s name, clearly leaving it out on purpose. That would be the case for Penn, 29, who goes to the top of the tree if he fights Norman Jr., who is inexperienced. The Eubank Jr. fight didn’t give Conor experience because he’s not a real top-tier fighter, and he’s not a welterweight. He is an old British middleweight at the national level.

“It was like that,” Norman Sr. said of Ben not mentioning Brian Jr.’s name after his win over Eubank Jr.He won’t say my son’s name. He wouldn’t come to get this job. He doesn’t want this job. We told them we were going to the UK to fight Conor Penn. They tried to pit Connor Penn against Mario Barrios at the time.

If Norman Jr. crushes Haney on Saturday, that could work against him getting a chance to fight Penn. If he hasn’t fought any of the assassins at No. 147 up to this point, you have to assume it was intentional. Norman Jr. will continue to be ignored. With Ben’s popularity in the UK, there is no pressure that can be put on him to force him to fight Norman Jr.

“You want the title. You’ve got a winner here [Norman Jr.]. They don’t want that smoke. It’s a tailor-made fight. “He fights aggressively,” Norman Sr. said of Ben. “You’re not stronger than 147-year-old Brian Norman. You don’t hit harder than 147-year-old Brian Norman Jr. You’re not going to have the mental fortitude of 147-year-old Brian Norman Jr.