LAS VEGAS – Derrieck Cuevas claimed Thursday that Brian Norman Jr. was given the WBO welterweight title.

Norman knocked out Giovani Santillan in the 10th round last May 18 at Pechanga Arena in San Diego to become the WBO interim 147-pound champion. Terence Crawford vacated the true WBO welterweight title last August, though, which elevated Norman to full champion and encouraged Cuevas to downplay the legitimacy of Norman’s championship reign.

That didn’t exactly make a strong case for how the boxing public should view Cuevas if the Puerto Rican contender upsets Norman on Saturday night at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Norman, of Conyers, Georgia, questioned Cuevas’ mixed message during their press conference at Moonstone Event Center, where Cuevas confidently spoke about his supposed advantages over the unbeaten Norman.

“You’re a great fighter,” Cuevas told Norman. “You’re a good fighter. But I’m much stronger than you, I’m much smarter than you. You will see Saturday night.”

An incredulous Norman countered Cuevas’ contention that he is the harder puncher with questions of his own.

“What if your punches don’t land?,” Norman asked. “What if I hit hard as well? What if you can’t take my punches? What if? Answer the questions. What if I also hit hard? What if you can’t hit me? What if I’m entirely too much? I’m a champion for a reason.”

That was when Cuevas essentially called the 24-year-old Norman a paper champion.

“No, man, you’re not the champ,” Cuevas said. “You don’t fight with the real world champ. They give [the belt] to you. You know.”

Unlike Cuevas, Norman is undefeated (26-0, 22 KOs, 1 NC). He was dropped by Janelson Bocachica late in the first round of the bout before he defeated Santillan (33-1, 18 KOs), but their brief firefight resulted in a no-contest due to a cut across the center of Bocachica’s hairline.

The 30-year-old Cuevas (27-1-1, 19 KOs) has won four fights in a row, but he lost a six-round split decision to Damian Bonelli in December 2020. Argentina’s Bonelli was 42 and owned a 23-8 record at the time he upset Cuevas in Miami.

Each of Cuevas’ victories since that defeat came by knockout or technical knockout. Cuevas previously settled for a six-round majority draw with Samuel Santana (then 6-10-2) in September 2015.

Norman reminded him Thursday, though, that theirs will be a very different fight than any he has experienced since Cuevas turned pro in October 2014.

“I don’t care about none of that,” Norman said. “I hit hard as well. And I got speed, I’m not gonna get tired. I got 12 rounds to beat you up if need be. And you simply don’t have enough.”

Handicappers have agreed with Norman, whom DraftKings lists as a 7-1 favorite. Cuevas is ranked 13th among the WBO’s welterweight contenders and therefore an optional opponent for Norman.

ESPN will air Norman-Cuevas as its 12-round co-feature before WBO women’s welterweight champ Mikaela Mayer (20-2, 5 KOs) squares off against England’s Sandy Ryan (7-2-1, 3 KOs) in the 10-round main event. The network’s coverage of this doubleheader from Fontainebleau’s BleuLive Theater is scheduled to start at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).