English flyweight champion Louis Norman is on the lookout for opponents willing to face him in 2015 and is gunning for a date with current British, Commonwealth and European titleholder Kevin Satchell.
The 21-year-old Norman boxes next on July 25 in Derby – likely over the six-round distance – but is already eyeing up championship showdowns later this year, with Satchell top of the hit-list.
“I’ve been ready to fight Kevin Satchell for about two years,” said Norman, who regularly spars hot prospect Kal Yafai and former IBF world champion Stuart Hall. “I’ve wanted that fight for a long time, back when he just had the British and Commonwealth titles.
“My old management couldn’t pull it off but I think Clifton Mitchell can make it happen for me. Kevin Satchell is defending his European title against Thomas Masson from France and I’d love to fight him after that.
“I’ve always said Kevin Satchell would be an easier fight for me than someone like Iain Butcher. He’s not the best out of the two and his style suits me. He’s also the one with the titles.
“I know boxing. I watch a lot of boxing and I study fighters all over the world. If I fight Amir Khan I’d go into the fight knowing that every time he throws his jab he drops his right hand. I’ve seen lots of chinks in Kevin Satchell’s game, too, and I know I would exploit them. Don’t get me wrong, he’s done well to get where he is now, but he’s not fought anyone near my calibre.
“I’m not saying I’m the greatest fighter in the world, but I’m good enough to beat him and I want to test myself against the best fighters in the country.”
Nowadays Norman isn’t just a hunter – he’s also the hunted. As English flyweight champion, he’s on the radar of other youngsters looking to climb the ladder.
“Charlie Edwards wants to fight me for the English title in September, but I’m looking to move on to bigger and better things now,” he said. “Fighting Charlie Edwards at this stage in my career is a step down. It would get me on telly, yeah, but I’m not in this sport for that. I’m in it to win big titles.
“I’m in line for the Commonwealth super-flyweight title and the British, Commonwealth and European titles at flyweight. I’d rather push for those belts than defend my English. I want to test myself.
“The problem is, most flyweights are just interested in protecting their records. They don’t want to fight me.
“In my fourth pro fight I was going ten rounds with Mohammed Waqas for a British Masters title. I didn’t want to protect my record. Unfortunately, though, a lot of lads look to protect their records these days.”
Should he get the fights he craves in the next twelve months, Norman fully expects to be holding a host of flyweight or super-flyweight titles. Then, he says, the plan is to conquer the world.
“I’ve only had ten fights but I’ve already done four ten-rounders,” said the Leicestershire man. “I’m looking to be winning fights at European level next year and my goal is to become world champion within three years. At this point I’m nowhere near the likes of Roman Gonzalez or Juan Francisco Estrada, but that’s my goal in the next three years.”
*** Tickets for Blackwell vs. Jones can be purchased from the Derby Arena Box Office on 01332 255800 or by visiting www.derbylive.co.uk ***
*** Blackwell vs. Jones will be televised live on Channel 5 on July 25, while the supporting undercard will be televised live earlier in the evening on Spike ***
