Walkden boxing champion Jamie Moore has vowed to get revenge on the only man to beat him in his professional career.
Moore will defend his British and Commonwealth light-middleweight titles for the third and final time against Scott Dixon on February 14 on a Valentine Day's bill at Nottingham in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Dixon beat the Walkden fighter when the two met in Manchester in 2001 -- and Moore believes it was the best thing that ever happened to him.
For the 25-year-old bounced back from that defeat to claim the British and Commonwealth titles by beating Liverpool's Michael Jones last April.
Moore has defended the title by beating Londoner Gary Logan at the Manchester Arena in October and then Sheffield's Andrew Facey in Belfast in November.
But the fight that Moore really wanted was a rematch against Dixon.
Victory would see Moore win his British and Commonwealth titles outright, and give him a chance of a European title fight.
The Walkden fighter is also keen to show Dixon just how far he has come since that one defeat of a 19-fight professional career.
"I know he should not have beaten me that night," Moore said.
"I did not feel 100 per cent fit, and started to tire as the fight went on. I would have beaten him 99 times out of 100.
"But looking back, it was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it made me look at the way I was preparing for fights.
"I will shake him by the hand to thank him -- after I've beaten him."
Moore went on a diet and nutrition course after that defeat, and also went to see Joe Dunbar, a fitness expert who has worked with Derby County and Charlton Athletic, as well as WBC world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.
"I had another fight soon after I lost to Dixon, and I almost lost that one in the same way -- I found myself tiring towards the end.
"So I went to see Joe, did some tests, and he told me I was overtraining. He said it was a tribute to my dedication, but that training too much can be as harmful as not doing enough."
The advice paid off for Moore, as his first bout after meeting Dunbar was against Jones for the British and Commonwealth light-middleweight titles -- a fight he took at just a few days notice.
"I had only trained for an eight-round fight, and ended up taking on a 12-rounder instead, and I felt no problems."
Moore is currently in Florida on a two-week training course at the gym of female boxer Christy Martin.
He is taking advantage of the top male sparring partners based over there.
"Even the boxers in the gym are good fighters, so there are plenty of chances for some good sparring. Because the weather is warmer, it also means that I'll be working a lot harder."
Moore has a slight concern over a long-term wrist injury, which is likely to need an operation after the Dixon fight, but he will not let it distract him from the task of winning the biggest fight of his career so far.
"I've boxed through all my fights in the last two years with this injury. It's something that I will look to sort out after February 14."
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