NADEEM Siddique has made an emphatic comeback to the ring.

The 36-year-old Bradford boxer, whose last fight was five years ago, stopped Hungarian Alexander Farkas in the first round of a 10st 5lb contest in front of a capacity crowd at Bowlers in Manchester on Saturday night.

Siddique said: "My original opponent pulled out after his girlfriend proposed to him, so Alexander was a last-minute replacement.

"I dropped him with a body shot in the first minute and again with a left hook in the second minute but the pain from that went all the way up my elbow to my shoulder and on to my back.

"I am okay though and, as far as the fight goes, my wife Suzanne and mum Azizan are very proud of me, and the atmosphere was superb as I had loads of fans.

"Dominic Ingle, who is abroad with Kell Brook, told me to be back in the gym at 6.45 on Monday morning, where I did a recovery session, and I was in the gym again at 4pm on Tuesday."

Next up for Siddique are two bouts at 10st – on July 26 on the Tyson Fury-Dereck Chisora undercard and September 27 on the Channel 5 Kid Galahad show.