Michael Norgrove

Michael Norgrove (9 July 1981 – 6 April 2013) was a Zambian-born British professional boxer from Woodford Green, London. Nicknamed the "Zambian Hitman", at the time of his death Norgrove had an unbeaten professional record. His death occurred several days after he was taken ill during a boxing match in London, and marked the United Kingdom's first post-match boxing fatality of the 21st century.

Life and career

Born in Kabwe, Norgrove was the son of a British expatriate who worked for Zambian Railways. The family left Zambia at the end of his father's contract when Norgrove was seven, and moved first to Australia, then later to Manchester in England.

In Boxing Norgrove competed at light-middleweight level, and entered the sport at a relatively late age. He was known as the "Zambian Hitman". As an amateur he boxed at London's Repton Club in the East End, before turning professional in 2010. He was also a contemporary and former sparring partner of the one time European super-middleweight champion James DeGale.

Having successfully fought five bouts, he was taking part in his sixth fight (against Tom Bowen) when he was taken ill. It was his first professional fight following a two-year break. On 28 March 2013 he was competing at the historic Ring venue in Blackfriars, which was hosting its first professional boxing event for 73 years. During the fifth round of a six-round fight, referee Jeff Hinds noticed Norgrove acting strangely and stopped the bout. Norgrove subsequently collapsed, and was treated at the scene before being taken to the Royal London Hospital, where he underwent emergency brain surgery for a cerebral haemorrhage. He died nine days later on 6 April following complications. It was the first post-match death in British boxing to occur in the 21st Century, the last being Scottish bantamweight James Murray who died in 1995 from head injuries sustained during a fight in Glasgow.