LAS VEGAS – One fighter seated ringside during Brian Norman Jr.'s last fight on March 29 had more of an impact than he knows.

The unbeaten WBO welterweight champion’s sparring session with Terence Crawford 3½ years ago gave a 20-year-old Norman knowledge and confidence he needed during the developmental phase of his career. Now that Norman owns one of the 147-pound crowns Crawford relinquished when he moved up to the junior middleweight division last year, he appreciates his work with the former undisputed welterweight champion more than ever.

Boxing three four-minute rounds with Crawford informed Norman of where he stood. That spirited sparring at Granite City Boxing & Fitness in Ellenwood, Georgia also made Norman realize what it would take to compete with a Hall-of-Fame fighter of Crawford’s caliber.

“I will say I’m not used to the four-minute rounds,” Norman told The Ring. “But I’m in shape, so I got used to it. It was very, very great work. I believe he was getting ready for Shawn Porter. He’s got a great mental game, great physical game. The boy strong – I can definitely say that.

“Like me, I’m from the south, I’m country strong and I can bully heavyweights anytime I want. But at the time that was somebody I, real deal, had to dig down and, you know, try to physically manhandle back. I can definitely see why he is who he is and why he is where he is at in his career.”

Confidence, conditioning, skill and strength enabled Norman (27-0, 21 KOs, 1 NC) to recently overcome a difficult first round against Puerto Rico’s Derrieck Cuevas at Fontainebleau’s BleuLive Theater. The hard-hitting Cuevas caught Norman with punches that knocked Norman off balance twice in the first round.

Norman attributed Cuevas’ strong start to shedding ring rust because the Conyers, Georgia resident hadn’t fought in 10 months before he stopped Puerto Rico’s Cuevas (27-2-1, 19 KOs) in the third round on the Mikaela Mayer-Sandy Ryan undercard.

Crawford chatted with Norman before he beat Cuevas in ESPN’s co-feature. Norman hopes this second straight impressive win will move him into a title unification fight with WBC champ Mario Barrios next.

The developing champion will also watch with great interest as Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) attempts to strengthen his own legacy. The four-division champion from Omaha, Nebraska will challenge Canelo Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) for his super middleweight titles September 13 in Las Vegas if the heavily favored Mexican icon beats IBF champ William Scull (23-0, 9 KOs) on May 3 at ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Norman rooted for Errol Spence Jr. when the former IBF/WBA/WBC welterweight champ faced Crawford in July 2023 because Spence was Norman’s favorite fighter. He knew Crawford would win, however, and believes even a 37-year-old Crawford can upset Alvarez on September 13 at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Raiders.

“I think he has a great chance with that fight,” Norman said. “To me, how I think about it, it’s 90 percent mental. The fact that he simply not only wants to win this fight, but truly believes he can win this fight, I know he in the gym, training as hard as possible to be on point to win this fight. I feel like he has a chance.”