Ricky Summers is getting busy at the Civic

Tipton's Ricky Summers is looking to put his foot on the gas next year after drawing a line under a terrible year with a fight at Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Summers' stop-start professional career takes in just his fourth paid bout at the Civic a week on Sunday, where he will again compete at light heavyweight.

The 26-year-old has had the death of his mother, Shirley, to contend with this year but has his head on boxing again and is desperate to fulfil his potential.

He's outpointed Elvis Dube at the Civic in July since then before a back operation forced him onto the sidelines and Summers is keen to make up for lost time.

The former senior ABA national semi-finalist, a product of Lions ABC in Dudley, said: "I've had a terrible year and now I'm hoping to get busy.

"I am really looking forward to getting back in the ring and I want to step things up after Christmas. The longer the fight, the better I perform.

"I'm a slower starter and when I'm boxing at six, eight and 10-round level, it will benefit me. I get stronger as the rounds go by.

"I have been hurting my sparring partners and I'm looking for a stoppage in my next fight. Then I want to get the ball rolling next year.

"Sometime next year, I hope to box for the Midlands title, then go for the English and I think I'm capable of winning the British title."