Norman: I’m waiting for the phone to ring

Dylan Norman (right) and Lee Hallett after February’s fight

WHEN Dylan Norman says “boxing is not there to be your friend”, he says it with a conviction that tells you the lesson has been learned the hard way.

The Shirley crowd-pleaser has had to overcome more than his share of obstacles while compiling a 10-0 record.

He had to jump through all kind of medical hoops before being cleared to box professionally. His progress was stalled by serious, career threatening injury. The nan who raised him collapsed and died only hours after watching the 25-year-old gain a stoppage victory.

Now Dylan, from Knowle, finds himself in the boxing quicksand of being too good for fellow prospects to take on without the incentives of a title or healthy financial reward. Those incentives need backing from a host of sponsors.

The lightweight last fought in February and outpointed Lee Hallett over six rounds in the main event. Norman, aggressive and all-action in the ring, is a young man waiting for the phone to ring.

“It’s been tricky,” Dylan, who fights out of Birmingham’s Eastside gym, admitted. “Boxing is not there to be your friend, it’s there to give you tough times and see how you come through them.

“But I know in the next year you’ll see the best performances from me and see me fight for a title. You wait for a phone call that will give you progression.

“It can’t be too long, I’m knocking on the door for a title.

“I’m always super-fit and strong. It’s just a case of waiting for that phone to ring.”

Back in March, manager Jon Pegg told me: “Dylan is not a super-lightweight – he makes 10st 1lbs. We want to step him up slowly because he’s a work in progress and he’s still young. There’s no rush with him. He puts the work in, he’s very keen and strong.

“Sometimes he has a few self doubts and he shouldn’t, but that’s the way with most boxers.”

Pro boxers realise from the start pain is part of the game. So is patience, Norman has discovered.