Steven Pearce is back in love with boxing
Stourbridge's Steven Pearce today insisted he's back in love with boxing and ready to put a nightmare year behind him.
The former Midlands and International Masters welterweight champion wants to make up for lost ground on Saturday night,
By rights, 2014 proved to be difficult for the 30-year-old, relinquishing his Masters crown to Ryan Hardy on points and getting stopped in three rounds by the talented Bradley Skeete.
Injuries and personal issues outside of the ring affected his mood further, but 'Fierce Pearce' insists he's now focused on fighting again.
Eduards Krauklis will present a scalp over four rounds at the Chase Leisure Centre in Cannock, if he can succeed where 12 others have failed in knocking out the Peterborough-based Latvian.
Pearce said: "I had some bad luck last year. I struggled with illness before the Hardy fight and then I took on Bradley Skeete, who is a class operator.
"I thought I matched Skeete early doors, but then he caught me with a great shot that I didn't see coming. That's boxing.
"I was gutted the way it ended and then I suffered ankle ligament damage when preparing for a fight later on in the year. After that, I sort of turned my back on the sport.
"Towards the end of 2014 I was living a bad life - partying, drinking, women, you name it. Mentally, I wasn't ready to fight at a professional level.
He went on: "I'm really looking forward to fighting again. I'm ready to get my career back on track. I have routine in my life now.
"I feel like everyone is behind me. I'm back in love with the sport. Boxing can be a lonely sport, so you need to surround yourself with the right people.
"They have helped me refocus and I'm determined to win another title – at welterweight or light middleweight – this year.
"This guy is a tough lad. He's never been stopped, so it's a good test of my power if I can get him out of there. I need this fight to bridge the gap and then it's onwards and upwards."
Bloxwich's Luke Paddock puts up his Midlands light welterweight title for the first time against long-standing target Fergus Taylor elsewhere on the card.
It's one of two 10-round contests on the bill, with Stafford's Grant Cunningham staging an eliminator for the English middleweight crown.
Cunningham takes on Leeds' Damon Jones for the right to challenge formidable champion Danny Butler, who would be making a fourth defence.
Stafford's Rob Hunt is also battling for a belt on the bill, going for the eight-round British Bronze Masters welterweight title against Wiltshire's Liam Richards.
It's a pivotal fight for Hunt, who is hoping to make it third time lucky after falling short on both occasions he has been in for a crown.
The 29-year-old has over eight years and 24 bouts worth of paid experience, but wasn't able to claim British or International Masters honours.
Stoke duo Andy Keates and Josh McLaren, Birmingham's Sean Davis and Leeds' Steven Mennell complete the line-up for the show.
Tickets are still available, priced at £30 and £60 ringside. For more information, call 01543 504 065.
