KENT'S former British welterweight champion Harry Dhami is to return to the ring after more than a year in the wilderness.

Dhami, 30, has been out of the fight game since losing his British title to Neil Sinclair in November 2001 in his third defence, which would have seen him claim the Lonsdale Belt outright, but after a long break he's ready to break back into the big time.

The Gravesend fighter has signed a deal with Scottish promoter Tommy Gilmour in London and is looking forward to his first fight, which should be in June.

Gilmour as he has some the hottest welterweights among his stable of fighters, including Sinclair, IBO champion Jawaid "Too Sleek" Khaliq, former British champion Derek Roche, who Dhami beat for the title, and Commonwealth champion James Hare.

Dhami said:"It's time I wrote the last chapter of my career. People forget that I became British champion the hard way. I was Southern Area champion for four years and then became British champion so I had a lot of pressure fights over a period of about five and a half years.

"I went into the ring against Sinclair with the wrong attitude and I badly needed a break. I feel totally refreshed now and am ready to fully commit."