Birth of daughter convinces Norman to hang up gloves
CITY FIGHTER NOW AIMING TO BE TRAINER
LOUIS “2 Sweet” Norman has quit boxing to be a dad – and help steer his kid brother to the top, writes Matt Bozeat.
Norman, a former English flyweight champion and British title challenger, has decided to hang up his gloves following the birth of his daughter, Aurora.
He leaves with a 13 win, seven defeat record, with one draw.
The 26-year-old said: “I’m doing this for my little girl. I don’t want to miss her first steps because of boxing. I can’t give boxing 100 per cent anymore because I have a beautiful family and want to appreciate them.”
Norman believes he will be more successful as a trainer and he looks set to work with his younger brother, Benn, along with his father, Shaun.
Benn, rated highly by manager Carl Greaves, has his third professional fight at Leicester City FC’s King Power Stadium on March 14.
Norman said: “I want to be a coach and eventually, I think I will coach Benn.
“I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes, but as he gets older, Benn listens to me more and I have knowledge I can pass on.
“I’m not saying I know everything about boxing, but I know enough and I think I can read a fight. I might be a better coach than I was a boxer.”
Norman says he knows how Benn should box against his next opponent, Britain’s smallest professional.
Reiss Taylor stands at only 4ft 11½in – and Norman knows what his brother is up against, having sparred with the Birmingham man.
He said: “Benn just has to stay switched on and keep the fight long.
“It’s difficult boxing someone that short because shots come over the top that you don’t see coming, but Benn should be fine.
“I believe Benn will go further than me. I had a good career, but I didn’t achieve half as much as I wanted.
“I think Benn is good enough to win the Midlands title now, but there’s no rush.”
Norman was English champion at
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only 19 in just his sixth fight. He claimed the vacant St George’s belt by outpointing Nathan Reeve, pulling away in the last four rounds to win unanimously on the scorecards.
The belt was lost to Charlie Edwards, who went on to win the WBC championship, and Norman also lost a good fight to Andrew Selby for the vacant British title in front of the Channel Five cameras in September 2015.
He said: “People ask what was my hardest fight, but they were all hard in different ways.
“The Charlie Edwards fight was frustrating for me and Selby was tough because he was non-stop.”
Norman produced a golden moment for Channel Five viewers in July 2015.
He dropped his hands invitingly in front of Brett Fidoe and when the journeyman jabbed, Norman slipped inside it and cracked him on the chin with a right uppercut.
For the first time in his career, Fidoe found himself on the floor, but got up to last the full six.
“That was the best shot I threw,” said Norman, who’s married to Jade.
“If it had landed a bit cleaner, it would have knocked him out, but still, it’s a good memory!”