Ryan Aston wants a Curtis Valentine rematch
Dudley's Ryan Aston today insisted he's back to his best ahead of his next ring assignment - and has challenged his nemesis Curtis Valentine to a rematch.
Aston is on the Sky Sports bill at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Saturday night, in a six-rounder against Nottingham-based Angolan Gilson de Jesus.
Valentine handed Aston his first pro defeat in two rounds last July, before a technical draw from a cut eye after a clash of heads with Tyan Booth in November.
But 'Tank' bounced back to floor sturdy Lithuanian Krill Psonsko in a points win last month and was back in the gym with trainer Paul Gough four days later.
And the 22-year-old wants the chance of revenge against Valentine, perhaps for the Midlands middleweight title the Nottingham puncher won in their first fight.
Aston said: "Mentally and physically, I am there now. But I still want Valentine again, I have to get that back, for my own demons if nothing else.
"Whether that be four, six, eight rounds or even for the Midlands title again, I will be speaking to my manager Eddie Hearn about that after this one."
Defeat to Valentine led to a 'back to basics' approach in training, with Aston focussing on boxing on the back-foot and throwing a high volume of punches.
He said: "We have been working a lot on defence and that's what we are trying to get back into, more than anything, before going forward.
"That's what I was always best at, just relaxing and sticking to my boxing, rather than trying to take people out with one shot.
"Maybe I have tried to rely on power a lot, I know I can knock people out in one punch, but now I am going back to combinations.
"I am throwing three to four shots a time and still using my feet. It's all coming together."
De Jesus, 22, has two wins on a seven-fight professional record and has never been stopped inside the distance, so Aston could make waves with a KO.
He said: "I hope he comes for the fight because that's what I am expecting of him, I know he will fight in bursts so we have been working on boxing behind the jab.
"The pace I am going to set is going to be hard for him to grasp, everything he's going to throw at me I think I have an answer for.
"I want to keep nice and sharp, break him down and then take him out in the later rounds."
Aston's fight will be live on Sky Sports at 6pm on Saturday, through pressing the remote's red interactive button.
