Shepshed teenager Louis Norman has been handed a date for his professional debut – and a vote of confidence from his trainer.

Norman will box on a bill at Mansfield Civic Hall on Saturday, March 31 and is training for the fight with Jason Shinfield.

For two decades, Shinfield has trained boxers at his Somercotes gym and his success stories include Rendall Munroe and Jason '2 Smooth' Booth.

Booth last year lost to IBF super-bantamweight champion Steve Molitor on a majority points decision and has previously won the British and Commonwealth flyweight titles, the Commonwealth bantamweight championship and the British super-bantamweight belts.

Booth, from Nottingham, is a real craftsman with a box of tricks – and Shinfield says 18-year-old Norman has the potential to achieve just as much.

Norman made his mark as an amateur – he won the CYP championship last November for Shepshed ABC – and Shinfield said: "I trained Jason when he was 16 years old and Louis has just as much potential.

"They are very similar. Louis has the same movement and skills. I'm really excited about Louis and within two years, I think he can be British flyweight champion."

Tickets for the show are available from 07738-231323.