Walsall’s Martin Gethin is literally ‘living in the gym’ ahead of his return after 19 months out of the ring.

Gethin will step through the ropes as a hometown hero at Walsall Town Hall on November 18, in a six-rounder against Poland’s Arek Malek.

The two-time English lightweight champion has had a long injury lay-off with a back injury and now resumes his quest for a British title shot.

And a change in vocation has made all of the difference to the 27-year-old, who turns 28 two days before fight night.

After picking up the injury, Gethin gave up his job labouring on a building site and worked as a forklift truck driver.

Then came the opportunity to be self-employed as a personal trainer, based at the Fitness First gym in Walsall Wood.

Regarded as an endurance fighter in the ring, Gethin has tapped into what he knows and, unsurprisingly, boxing has played its part!

He said: “It’s what I need to become a British champion, I am always jumping in and doing something.

“This is my business now and my clients are enjoying it, it’s a good hard session but they feel the benefits after.

“More people are asking me about boxing classes at the gym and this ‘boxercise’ class is good, it’s mainly the women who come to it to get fit!”

Gethin’s bout with Malek is regarded as a tune-up and it’s a match should have happened before, before Nadeem Siddique came up for the Walsall man in 2008.

Siddique was taken out in seven rounds and Gethin is looking for another knockout impact, to send a message to his rivals and British champion Anthony Crolla.

He said: “I feel quite sharp anyway but you never know until you get into the ring, I will get in here and try not to go too wild at it. I will work with the jab until I see the openings.

“He’s gone the distance with some of the British and European champions, so to get him out of there early would be good.

“That would prove to a lot of people that I am still up in the top 10 lightweights in Britain.”

Tickets to watch Gethin box are available from Walsall Town Hall by calling 0845 111 2900 or from promoter Paul ‘PJ’ Rowson on 07976 283 157.

To read our stories in full, log in to the premium 24 website.