Elcock: Dylan can reach the very top

Elcock with Norman after the Fielding victory

WAYNE Elcock has high hopes for the fighter who once asked for his autograph, writes Matt Bozeat.

The outstanding performance on this month’s show at Solihull Ice Rink came from a prospect who fights out of Elcock’s gym in Birmingham.

Dylan Norman took out the seasoned Louis Fielding inside a round to reach the last four of the Top Boxer tournament.

The 23-year-old lightweight is back in the ring tomorrow (Thursday), only 19 days later, at Bar Sport’s Premier Suite in Cannock.

Promoter Scott Murray welcomes diners to his Excelsior Sporting Club’s fight night and they will see a fighter Elcock believes has the makings of a British champion.

Elcock knows the ingredients needed having won the middleweight title and fought for world honours. He believes Norman has a good future in the sport.

“I grew up in Shard End and Dylan was from Kingshurst, which is just next door,” said Elcock, who gave Midlands boxing one of its best nights in the last two decades when he took the British title off Howard Eastman in Coventry.

“I didn’t know it when Dylan first messaged me on Instagram, but we had already met. He has a picture I signed for him years ago.

“I was at a fete when I was champion and Dylan was a young amateur. He says he asked me for some tips and I told him, ‘work hard.’

“He took it on board because in all my time in boxing, I have never seen anyone work as hard as him. I have to tell him to take days off. He runs seven days a week. His fitness levels are crazy.”

The fight in Cannock will be Norman’s fifth as a pro and his fourth with Elcock in his corner.

Elcock says he’s pleased with Dylan’s progress.

He said: “I have had to change his style. He was relentless and a decent puncher, but he was a bit reckless.

“I told him, ‘that will work at the start of your pro career, but when you get up to British title level, they will make you miss, pick you off and what if they hit as hard as you ?’

“I told him he needs a Plan B as well, he needed to be able to box.

“I showed him a few things and he did know how to box. It was just that he had been relying on his aggression.”

Norman showed his boxing in points wins over Stuart Greener and Liam Richards (twice) before turning on the power against Fielding.

“In his previous two fights, Dylan had hurt them and backed off,” said Elcock, “and I told him to show me he still has that killer instinct.

“I wanted him to make a statement and get people talking about him – and he did just that.

“There’s no rush with Dylan and if he keeps progressing, he can get there and when he gets there, I want him to stay there.”