Hearn's fighting back

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It is important for every athlete to be driven on each day by a passion for their sport. But it is also important for an athlete to be open-minded and realise when it is time to refocus on their goals.

This is what Jamie Hearn realised after defeat to Tony Dodson two years ago. He decided it was time to step back from the ring, reassess his future and learn to love boxing again.

Now the Taplow-born fighter, who trains at Castle Gym in Windsor, has recaptured his love and desire for the sport and is raring to get the gloves on and begin his comeback.

The 26-year-old Colnbrook resident has a record of 10 wins - four by knock-out - seven losses and one draw and has fought some of the best in the business since turning professional in September 2002.

But the seven losses trouble Hearn, who says he could have had a perfect record if he hadn’t of let the big-time go to his head.

“There’s seven losses on my record that shouldn’t have been. It should be zero,” said Hearn. “I was young, appearing on TV. It went to my head. The Chad Dawson fight went out on Sky. I had friends in Thailand who woke up and watched it on TV out there!”

Hearn’s rise was impressive as he recorded nine wins in his first 12 fights, but defeat in March 2005 to Simeon Cover at Equinox, Leicester Square, signalled a disappointing run for the young boxer in which he won just one fight out of five. He decided it was time for a break.

“I needed to miss it,” Hearn said. “I’ve been doing it since I was eight. Every day for 18 years. I lost a few fights I shouldn’t have lost.”

The love affair with boxing began when a seven-year-old Hearn watched the famous bouts between Brits Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn in the late 80s and 90s.

“I was watching Eubank versus Benn when I was a kid. I saw the glamourous side to boxing, the flashing lights and all that,” he recalled.

“I begged my dad to take me to a gym, I begged him and begged him until he took me. They wouldn’t accept me because I was seven at the time, but the night I turned eight I started.”

After rediscovering a love for the ring he had first found as an eight-year-old boy, Hearn is now back to full fitness with a new regime and a lighter weighting.

“Now I’m back in training and have been taking things slowly, waiting for the right time to come back,” said the former super-middleweight.

“I thought I’d get a new gym, new manager, new weight - light-heavyweight - I’m now 12 and a half stone.

“I’m hoping to get a fight in July, hopefully, at York Hall in Bethnal Green. Without a doubt, in a couple of fights I can beat anyone.

“Tony Okey is the British champion and is fighting for the Commonwealth title soon. I could step in the ring now and take it off him. Anyone in this country, given six weeks notice, I could beat them.”

Hearn has fought at a number of impressive venues during his career including Wembley Arena, Manchester’s MEN Arena, Bristol City FCs Ashton Gate and Everton Park Sports Centre in Liverpool. He has also fought bouts overseas in Vienna and Belfast.

Hearn has fought for a number of belts including the British Masters title, English title (twice) and WBC Youth title.

But his biggest fight to date was against American super-middleweight Chad Dawson at the MEN Arena in March 2006, a bout that was promoted by Frank Warren. And with his renewed vigour for a fight, Hearn is confident that he can achieve great things in the sport.

“I’ve got a great sports psychologist, Chris Gibson, a great coach and a great sponsor, Castle Gym.

“A lot of people think I’m really a cruiserweight because I’m in such good shape. I’m big and ready to go.”