Bobby Vanzie admits that boxing is against his religion.

Bradford's former British lightweight champion made the shock admission as he came to terms with another defeat.

Vanzie lost to unknown Dave Stewart in a late-night four-rounder at a near-deserted Wembley Arena last week.

Vanzie came close to quitting over the weekend but after much soul-searching has decided to have one more fight - to discover if he still has the appetite for the sport.

The outspoken 30-year-old fears he may have lost that killer instinct since becoming a Jehovah's Witness nine months ago.

"I feel like such a hypocrite going to prayer meetings two or three times a week and then stepping into a ring to batter somebody to a pulp. It just doesn't make sense because it goes against everything I believe in to try and hurt an opponent.

"The whole family has become involved with religion and it has opened my eyes to so many different things. But I wonder if that has affected my approach to boxing.

"From being so outwardly confident, I don't seem to have that fire in my belly and I don't know why."

Vanzie reluctantly took the Stewart fight at short notice and never felt right about it. He feared the worst beforehand when he was getting strapped up in the changing room alongside Carl Thompson.

"Carl was all hyper and buzzing and you could see he couldn't wait to get out there," said Vanzie. "But there was me next to him thinking 'Do I really want this anymore?'

"There are all kinds of mitigating factors that led to the loss. I was at a low ebb anyway, I had not had the proper amount of time to prepare and, without sounding big-headed, going in the ring at 11pm did not sit well with me.

"I went home afterwards and spoke to my wife about giving it up which she was delighted about. But then I thought about it again and there were questions within myself that I need to answer.

"Is it my religion making me fight the way I do or have I simply lost that hunger? I could not retire on a defeat, going away wondering what had gone wrong.

"I owe it to myself to have one more attempt, for which I will train properly, and then the time will come to make a decision. There is no chance of getting a re-match with Stewart. But whether it's just a six or eight-rounder, I will still train professionally with my trainer Maurice Core.

"If I still feel like this after 100 per cent preparation then that will be the best time to get out."