By Luke Cawdell

A place in the heavyweight prizefighter contest has reignited Tom Dallas’ fighting passion.

After successive knock-out defeats and a battering from critics outside the ring, he is training hard to put himself in with a chance of a £32,000 winning cheque.

The popular prizefighter series will see the heavyweights slugging it out at York Hall on Wednesday, June 20.

Dallas’ last fight saw him suffer a fifth round KO by Matt Skelton. It left the Chatham man (pictured) down but not out.

"I was never seriously going to give up boxing but I did have thoughts about whether I would have another fight," he admitted.

"Training for this has brought that fighting spirit back and I can’t wait. I’m coming back in at the deep end but why not? If it goes well there is a nice prize at the end of it and it really puts me back up there."

Several boxing commentators suggested Dallas’ career was over following the Skelton fight, but the 27-year-old isn’t interested in what they have to say.

"I don’t box to impress people," he said. "They can say what they want. It’s just something I love doing and I’m not going to lose any sleep over what anyone says."

Next month’s knock-out tournament is staged over one night with eight boxers aiming to take the prestigious crown. Among the fighters already on the bill are Australia’s former heavyweight champion Kali Meehan, one-time European title holder Albert Sosnowski and Kevin Johnson, who once fought Vitali Klitschko for the WBC crown.