Ryan Whitehead plans to be the last man standing when he returns to action after returning to the level of fitness that was his forte.
A long stay away ends when BCB SharesThe next offering in the H Suite arrives in Edgbaston, Birmingham, with a Friday fight night set for September 23.
After being ready to compete again after a two-year absence, he made a significant change in weight that wasn’t there when he made his pro debut in March 2020.
Whitehead then outclassed former campaigner Kearan Thomas, coming out on top in all four rounds to record a 40-36 points victory.
The 28-year-old super middleweight has since retired from the sport to become a father again, with one-year-old Noah joining sister Lilia, five, and half-sister Imogen, 10.
Whitehead, who grew up in Telford, Oakengate, but now lives in Maxton, is also set to marry fiancé Hayley next year, so family life is firmly on his mind.
However, he finds time for boxing, leaving his full-time job as a network engineer at CityFibre to work part-time as a personal trainer.
In a coaching change, he left Kieran Gray in charge and returned to amateur teacher Tristan Davies, who now holds a professional licence.
At amateur level, Whitehead boxed for the Telford and Donington Boxing Clubs, with 11 wins in 21 unpaid bouts, but failed to win a prize.
He said: “I had my professional debut, then a break due to Covid and I found out we were having a little boy too, so I took a break from boxing for a while.
“When I decided to give it another go I quit my job and went back to Donington (boxing club) and Tristan, who is now a professional trainer.
“I went with Slammer (Kieran Gray) when I turned pro, but the plan with him was just to be in the far corner and do as many fights as possible.
“Now I think differently, I have dedicated a large part of my adult life to boxing and I want it to be a good memory through what I have achieved.
“I fell short of winning the Midlands title twice as an amateur so I’m determined to win something as a professional. I really want to go on now.
“Once I started getting myself back in shape, everything came together and now I have time to train properly. At one point I went up to 16th and now I’m back to 12th.
“I love cardio and run up the Wrekin (a hill in Shropshire) regularly, then I train with my trainer at least once a day, plus we do sparring.
“I had a lot of rounds with (England middleweight champion) Tyler Denny and I was at Team Shoe Box (a gym in Northampton) to spar with Sam Daly (undefeated pro).
“I work as a PT (personal trainer) doing one-on-one classes, helping people whether they want to learn how to box or just lose weight. I also have time to spend at home.
“I feel refreshed again and I am confident that I will be competitive when I come back. I know I can set a hell of a pace for four rounds and create some problems.
“The only way he can beat me is if he is a better boxer, no opponent will be more prepared and he will run out of gas before me. I have a good engine, that’s the main thing.”
H Suite tickets are available at £40 standard or £75 VIP ringside with buffet, direct from the boxers or by visiting myfighttickets.com.
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