Thursday 8 October 2015 13:12, UK
John Ryder has a rematch with Nick Blackwell in his sights as he prepares to return against Adam Jones on Saturday.
The 27-year-old Islington middleweight faced Blackwell for the British title on May 30 and was seemingly cruising to victory with some neat boxing in the early rounds - only to suffer a seventh-round stoppage that stunned The O2.
Ryder (20-2-KO12) returns at York Hall in a six-rounder with Jones (5-10-4-KO0) this weekend and is determined to work his way back to the top of the division domestically.
Looking back on the defeat, he said: "At the time it was massive. I was ranked number three by the WBO and could've got my way to a shot at the world title, especially the way it's been going with Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders.
At the time it was massive. I was ranked number three by the WBO body and could've got my way to a shot at the world title.
"But everything happens for a reason and I know that now. I just have to rebuild and now I can get this win on Saturday night and then look at getting a rematch with Blackwell.
"I am concentrating solely on Saturday but I do feel I was slightly hard done by in that fight at the O2 with the stoppage and when it came, so it is a fight I want to put right.
"It didn't cross my mind that that could be it for me but I'd had back-to-back camps, spent a long period of time training so I needed some family time away from it. I would've taken some time off win, lose or draw.
"The next day I watched it back to see what happened with the stoppage and I was caught with a good shot and apart from how it ended, I could take a lot of positives from it. I thought I'd won five of the seven rounds. I did get caught but after I'd taken that shot, I was evading five or six on the move and my head was clearing.
"Another 10 seconds and I'd have been fine. I didn't agree with it but being a referee is a tough enough job as it is. It's done and I am looking to get back and then set up the rematch with Blackwell."
Ryder's comeback is one of a host of bouts on Saturday night and with young guns such as Isaac Chamberlain, Ted Cheeseman and Craig Richards in action, he'll be looking to use his experience to help his friends.
Ryder added: "I'll feel like the grandad on Saturday night, although I am looking forward to it.
"I trained with Ted Cheeseman and have known him for a long-time, so I will get there early to watch that but then I will be getting in my zone but I am definitely interested in the main events.
"Ben Hall and Johnny Coyle I consider as friends in he sport and spar a lot with Ben and I had a 10-rounder on the Prizefighter night that he won."
You can catch all of Saturday night's action on Matchroom Fight Pass.
