Giovani Santillan had the aura of a man who couldn’t be beat. At least until it actually happened.

The highly ranked welterweight contender dreamed of fighting for a world title. When he was officially asked to take on Brian Norman Jr. for the interim WBO crown in May 2024, he began planning his victory parade. Ultimately, their showdown was incredibly close in the opening few rounds, but Norman began pulling away in the second half.

By the time the 10th round came rolling by, Santillan was battered and bloodied but refused to give up. Norman showed no mercy, landing a highlight-reel-worthy combination to put him out of his misery.

The defeat left Santillan sheepish, but he recently put that behind him to rack up two consecutive victories.

A lot can change in a year. Norman (27-0, 21 KOs) is the WBO’s full titleholder while Santillan is back in the win column. The 33-year-old isn’t exactly stalking Norman, but watches his every move, praying and hoping they'll be able to run things back.

“My team and I talk about it all the time," Santillan told Sean Zittel when asked if he wanted a rematch with Norman. "That’s a fight that I would love to get again. He’s a good fighter, he’s strong, it was his night.”

At the time, unless you were a high-profile name or held a belt, Santillan (34-1, 18 KOs) was likely to be the A side against just about any welterweight. That was the case against Norman. He forced the 24-year-old to pack his bags and head to the Pechanga Arena in his San Diego hometown to deal with the loud boos and middle fingers from the crowd.

A rematch would essentially be the opposite. Santillan isn't in the position he once was and would have to concede to all of Norman’s demands. Nevertheless, his pride won’t come in the way. As long as he gets another crack at him, he’ll be satisfied.

"If he gives me an opportunity to get that rematch, we can do it in his city this time."

Norman is from Conyers, Georgia, an Atlanta suburb.