Former British junior middleweight titleholder Scott Fitzgerald is hoping to renew his profession following a four-year authorized battle over allegations of rape, a cost filed in opposition to him in 2020.
Fitzgerald, 32, was discovered not responsible of the cost in February after a jury deliberated for lower than two hours at Preston Crown Courtroom.
The previous British champion’s final look got here in Could 2021 in opposition to Gregory Trenel on the Manchester Enviornment, and he gained courtesy of a third-round knockout.
Talking to VIP Boxing Promotions, Fitzgerald admitted that the burden of getting such a cost in opposition to him had weighed closely on his shoulders and he’s relieved that his authorized points are over and that he can now give attention to a return to the game.
“The final 4 years have been horrible,” Fitzgerald stated. “It was a heavy f****** factor to have hanging over my head. I stayed sturdy for so long as I might, but it surely was a s***** factor to undergo.
“I used to be discovered harmless in a short time by the jury, with a unanimous verdict. Now, I’ve an enormous weight taken off my shoulders.”
Earlier than his February court docket date, Fitzgerald had returned to the fitness center below the steerage of his father, who had inspired Scott to return to regulate his weight after he ballooned as much as 14 stone.
“Round September, I began getting again into the fitness center. I used to be heavy at 14 and odd stone, and it was all right down to my dad getting me again into the fitness center. He all the time saved asking me to return again, in order that was the one motive I linked up with him, and now I’m genuinely having fun with being again within the fitness center.
“I’ve an actual buzz for boxing once more,” Fitzgerald stated.
Regardless of his newbie successes and having owned the British title as an expert, Fitzgerald beforehand had been sporadically lively and accused of not taking the game severely.
Regardless of turning skilled in 2016, Fitzgerald has featured solely 15 instances as an expert, with 10 victories inside the gap.
Fitzgerald, a 2015 Commonwealth Video games gold medalist, grew to become solely the third fighter from Preston to assert the British title by defeating Ted Cheeseman in 2019.
Fitzgerald’s profession objectives following his acquittal are to recapture the belt he as soon as held and uncover if he can compete past home degree.
“What I wish to do is get again into the ring and win the British title once more,” Fitzgerald stated. “Ideally, I wish to defend the title till I can personal and maintain it.
“Then, after that, simply do the perfect I can to win at no matter degree I get to. If I do not win, then at the least I do know and may reside the remainder of my life figuring out I completed my story how I needed to complete it.”
