JOHN Wayne Hibbert says he is focusing on winning the British title after announcing an extraordinary return to boxing.

The 32-year-old fighter from Horndon-on-the-Hill retired from the sport after he was surprisingly beaten by Martin Gethin at Wembley Arena last November.

But Hibbert says he feels he still has more to give after six months away from boxing, and will be stepping up to welterweight for his next fight.

“It has been incredibly hard,” said Hibbert.

“Hanging up your gloves is a big decision and I felt it was the right decision at the time.

“I started training people and I was in a few fighter’s corners at boxing shows and I thought I still wanted to do it.

“More than that I thought I still could do it so I started talking to a few people and hope to be back in the ring in July.

“I want to fight for the British title. Bradley Skeete is defending it at the moment and I know I am a few fights away at the moment but that is the aim.”

Hibbert revealed he was advised by a number of people, including boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, to retire after he suffered back-to-back defeats to Andrea Scarpa and Gethin in the second half of 2016.

And he says he now realises he made the decision more because of the advice of others as opposed to what he felt himself.

But, by moving up to welterweight, Hibbert feels he has plenty more to offer.

“I got told by Eddie Hearn that he thought I should retire but I 100 per cent still feel I have something left to give.

“After I beat Tommy Martin in January 2016 I now see I should have moved up a weight. I made the weight correctly but there were things which weren’t right.

“It’ s only 7lbs in terms of rising. I believe when I lost weight it was dehydrating my skin and I was getting cut a lot.

“But I am a strong fighter and believe in myself.”

Hibbert has a new coaching team behind him as he looks to secure a place on the bill at the MTK boxing show at the Brentwood Centre in late July.

He is boxing at West Ham ABC under the tuition of Barry Smith and Harry Andrews, in a new approach for the Horndon fighter.

Having always trained alone, he is now preparing in a busy gym and he says he is enjoying the buzz at the venue.

“Harry Andrews and Barry Smith are partnered together and I think it will be a good partnership,” he said.

“I have always done my own thing with training and I have never trained alongside other people and they are really pushing me.

“I am looking for a strength and conditioning coach and am in talks with a major boxing promoter at the moment.”

Hibbert is still looking for sponsorship, having already linked up with Stanford-le-Hope company DF Roofing.

A number of people have already taken to social media to express their surprise at Hibbert’s return, with many believing he should not return to the boxing ring.

But he has a message for those people.

“I truly believe in myself,” he said.

“It is down to me and I believe I can still cut it. I am working hard and will be back stronger.”