British champ Rob Norton will go on
Stourbridge's British cruiserweight champion Rob Norton insists the fight he needs to claim a Lonsdale belt as his own will not be the last of his career.
Stourbridge's British cruiserweight champion Rob Norton insists the fight he needs to claim a Lonsdale belt as his own will not be the last of his career.
The 38-year-old is in his 17th year as a pro having already defended his title twice - with a points win and then a draw against David Dolan - and needs to maintain his grip on the belt one more time to win it outright.
But Norton recently had to give up his Commonwealth crown, won as vacant in the first fight against Dolan, after bring ordered to go to Australia and fight mandatory challenger Dominic Vea.
His camp put the skids on that after a derisory first offer from the promoters Down Under, which was literally five days accommodation then fight, with Vea now set to face New Zealand-based Algerian Mohammed Azzaoui in New South Wales on July 1.
The focus has instead turned to searching high and low for a suitable challenger not named Dolan to step up to the plate for the British title, which was expected to be the veteran's swansong.
But Norton insists his career could even go on after that.
He said: "My next fight will not be my last, definitely not. I feel I am as fit now and mentally with it as I have ever been.
"It's all to do with how you look after yourself outside of the ring, don't get me wrong the hard fights put the miles on the clock but it's how you live.
"I don't drink, I don't smoke, I live a very clean life and I feel better now than I ever have."
Norton's first priority, retiring or not, is to wrap up his story with the British title.
It took five years to get a second shot at it after losing to Mark Hobson in 2003, before beating Micky Steeds to finally become champion in October 2008.
The problem has been finding the right opponent, with 24-year-old Jon Lewis Dickinson the latest name to be put forward after winning the second instalment of the cruiserweight Prizefighter two months ago.
Derby-based Jamaican Ovill McKenzie - the victor of the first instalment - was offered the fight after winning the tournament last May and is now in possession of the UK passport that has stopped from competing for a British title back then.
Norton admits those are the sort of challengers that could entice him into the ring.
He said: "No questions asked, Ovill would the perfect opponent, he's superb. As for Dickinson, I have already said I will fight him, why not? I didn't see Prizefighter, but I have heard a few things about him.
"He can't be that bad to have come through that and he's got youth on his side, but I have got a lot of experience on him."