British cruiserweight champion Rob Norton was today slated to make his return to the ring in a six-round contest at Walsall Town Hall on Saturday October 8.

The 39-year-old from Stourbridge, who is now based in Kidderminster, will box an international opponent in a non-title fight after 21 months out.

His special appearance will serve as the chief support fight to Lee Glover’s first defence of the International Masters featherweight title, with ‘the Tipton Slasher’ putting the belt up-for-grabs against Welshman Dai Davies.

Norton is looking for a tune-up before making his next move with the British crown and, when he steps through the ropes, he should know whether that will be against Herbie Hide.

The British Boxing Board of Control have put the fight out to purse bids, with a deadline of September 14, and Norton needs one more defence to claim a Lonsdale belt as his own.

Glover, who won an ABA Midlands title and reached the national semi-finals twice as an amateur, faces another tough test against the experienced two-weight former Welsh champion.

Davies has taken a draw from current European bantamweight champion Jamie McDonnell and has been in there with the likes of Derry Mathews, Rendall Munroe, Jason Booth and Jamie Arthur.

But Glover showed heart to see off tough Scot Dougie Curran on points for the belt at Walsall Town Hall in June and will be hoping for another big title win in a home show.

Midlands light middleweight champion Jamie Ball joins him in action and will, like Norton, take on a six-round fight against an international opponent.

Coseley’s Ball took less than three rounds to put away Latvian Andrejs Loginovs on the undercard to Glover in June and, coupled with his title win in February, will be looking for his third straight stoppage.

The English crown is the ultimate goal for ‘the Black Country Bully’ but, with champion Brian Rose set to defend against Erick Ochieng on October 22, it will have to wait.

But former unlicensed star Zak the Ripper – real name Saquib Amir – continues his journey as a professional.

In the second paid outing of the Dudley featherweight, ‘the Ripper’ will take on Stoke’s ‘Marvellous’ Marvin Campbell, the son of former pro Clinton.

Also down for action are Stafford’s Grant Cunningham and West Browmich’s Adam Corbett, after successful first bouts at middleweight and light heavyweight respectively.

Stephen Pierce and Kyle Spencer will make their debuts on the show, both trained by the former professional from Dudley, Shaun Cooper.

Pierce, a 26-year-old light welterweight from Stourbridge, boxes six, two minute rounds while Spencer, a 21-year-old policeman from Brierley Hill, competes over four sessions.

The bill will also see Northampton’s Nathan Reeve box in the West Midlands for the first time, in a four-round super flyweight contest.

The former four-time world kickboxing champion has been earmarked as a serious future contender to British title contender Lee Haskins and will be a fight further along after appearing in Walsall.

Keith Sheen, the boxing Royal Marine from Halesowen, completes the card.

Tickets are available from Walsall Town Hall or by contacting promoter Paul ‘PJ’ Rowson on 07976 283 157.