JERMAINE Springer was told he may never fight again after being diagnosed with a horror injury shortly after his last bought with Shakan Pitters in May 2021.

The Bradford boxer, formerly of Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, was knocked-back with a detached retina- an injury described as an emergency situation in which a critical layer of tissue (the retina) at the back of the eye pulls away from the layer of blood vessels that provides it with oxygen and nutrients.

But after having surgery, Springer eased his way back into the sport he loves and is now preparing for his next professional bout on April 9 in Oldham, where he will move up to Cruiserweight to take on Perry Howe from Sheffield.

It will be the eleventh time Springer has stepped into the ring professionally and he will be hoping to put on a show for his continued loyal supporters, but he spoke of his gratitude to be in this situation once again.

He said: “It’s a massive relief to be able to fight again. Only two weeks ago I happened to have a scroll through my emails and there I saw the email from the British Boxing Board saying I was clear to fight again. I was ecstatic, I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s not been confirmed when my injury happened, but I feel like it was in a spar a week before my fight with Shakan Pitters. I remember getting caught on the eye and feeling a sensation I’d never felt before. I almost felt my eye go to the back of my head, but I went to my corner and my coach said it looked alright.

“Thankfully, I don’t think it affected my performance against Shakan. It was a great occasion for me being able to perform on TV, so I made sure I prepared to the best I could. I don’t want to make excuses about my injury with that one because I believe I came up against a better fighter on the day.”

An injury to the eye is a worrying feat for anyone, especially for a boxer but the Bradford hitter admitted he always wanted to return to the sport.

He said: “I always remained positive after suffering the injury, I always believed that I would get my license back and I knew that I would fight again.

“I think the thought of not having boxing as the main focal point in my life- that thought was too devastating to think about, so I tried my best to not let those thoughts enter my mind. Even after my operation and during my recovery, I always believed that I would get back into the ring.

“I was able to get back into light training only a month after my surgery, and I was still able to continue with offering my PT sessions. Coaching my fighters and seeing how hard they were training- it brought the fire back to me instantly and made me think about how much I want to be in their position again.”

Springer has entered another training camp ahead of his fight against Howe in April and although it’s his first fight in just under a year, the powerhouse is hoping to make a statement once again.

He said: “I feel in a really good place now, both physically and mentally. I need boxing in my life and despite an injury setback, I think my love for the sport has helped me massively in the preparation for this fight.

"It's a bit of a cliche as a lot of boxers say this in the lead up to a fight, but I genuinely feel the best I've ever felt. I feel fit, my boxing skills are on point and I've got a great team around me.

"I want this to translate into the fight. Deep down I am putting pressure on myself to come out with a big bang, to show people I am back on the scene. Because I've had back to back losses, I don't think people realise the potential I have, so I'm going to go out there and show people what I'm made of. Ideally, I'd like a knock-out.

"I want to take one fight at a time but long-term I want to be fighting for titles, and also fighting on TV once again."

Springer's fight will take place at the Oldham Leisure Centre, April 9. Tickets are priced at £60 ringside and £40 standard price. To book tickets or for more information, message Springer directly through Facebook or Twitter.