Christopher Keane returns to the ring

Walsall cruiserweight Christopher Keane is looking to pick up where he left off when the highly-rated prospect returns to action at London's York Hall.

Keane is down for a four-rounder at the capital's mecca of boxing next Friday night, after 10 months out of the ring recovering from a torn left bicep.

Injury befell Keane in sparring just as things were coming along very nicely, in fact just a week away from his second professional fight, having taken former World champion Barry McGuigan as his trainer before smashing though Viktor Szalai in two rounds on his paid debut last September.

His decision to turn pro was a risky one, with a chance of going to last month's European Championships after winning an ABA heavyweight title and the Three Nations tournament as an amateur.

But the 24-year-old has been back in training for two months at the Red Corner gym in Coventry - and his aspirations are still very high.

He said: "I am looking beyond the British title, maybe get up to World level if I can. I feel good enough to do it, with hard work and determination I can get there. I need to get a few fights under my belt, first of all, so I can get accustomed to it.

"Hopefully I have got a bright future in front of me."

Not only did Keane have to watch from the sidelines as Team GB picked up three silver medals last month, he also had sit through the second cruiserweight edition of the pro's Prizefighter tournament at the end of April.

Another ABA champion, Jon Lewis Dickinson, came through a poor chasing pack to win the eight-man, one-night, three-rounds-a-fight event to become a star in the sport overnight.

It may have even landed the 24-year-old from County Durham a shot at the British champion, Stourbridge's Rob Norton, by the end of the year.

But it all did for Keane was highlight how much of a splash he could make in the division, provided he stays fit and active.

The former Pleck amateur may not ready for a title or even Prizefighter just yet, but is confident of reaching that level sooner rather then later.

He added: "I watched it and, if I had been fit, I would have loved to have been a part of it.

"But it will come round again, maybe next year I will be ready for that."