Heavyweight boxer Tom Dallas (17-5) has signed a new contract with Kent-based promotional outfit JE Promotions and plans to return to the ring on October 29th at Mote Park in Maidstone.

The 31-year-old from Chatham has been plagued with injuries resulting in what would be an 18-month hiatus from the sport by the time his 23rd bout rolls around under the JE Promotions banner in his home county.

The former amateur champion has joined up with Ray Askew in his Kent-based Invicta Gym in Sheerness after signing contracts with new promoter Joe Elfidh.

The new alliances aim to get Dallas back on the path for titles, his team already eyeing Southern Area, English and British honours.

Dallas said, “My elbow is all ok now so there’s been no problems in sparring. I’ve always a hard punch and I am quite confident on the 29th I will win the fight and after that I’ll start stepping up again.”

The six-foot-six heavyweight has been recovering from corrective surgery on his left elbow, a niggling injury that has held him back persistently throughout his eight-year long professional career.

New trainer Askew added, “Training has come along really well, Tom’s a very good boxer and I’m trying to put my slant on things with a couple of little changes.”

The Kent puncher’s last outing was in April last year at the world famous Madison Square Garden in New York for then unbeaten Charles Martin’s WBO NABO heavyweight title.

His American dream was destroyed by the future IBF World champion in the opening round on the undercard of the World heavyweight championship bout between Wladimir Klitschko and Bryant Jennings.

The Chatham man stands proud of the achievement despite the outcome, stating, “I don’t think anyone else around here can say they have fought at Madison Square Garden.”

The former ABA finalist turned over in 2008 and raced to 15 fights unbeaten until a meeting with David Price in Liverpool halted his winning run.

A regular sparring partner to Olympic gold medalist and current IBF World heavyweight king Anthony Joshua, Tom’s five career losses have all come in the last seven bouts, which is in no way shameful when you look at the calibre of competition fought – former British and Commonwealth champion David Price; former British, Commonwealth and European titlist Matt Skelton; and Prizefighter winner Tor Hamer, to name just a few.

“We want Tom to get back on the winning track,” said Askew, also the trainer to unbeaten heavyweight Dave Jones from Queenborough. “Believe me, Tom’s power is world class and anyone that has been hit by him can vouch for that.

“Tom’s got plenty of time really, but if we can give him two good fights doing the things we want him to do then I would imagine over the next 18 months Tom will be involved in a title fight, that’s my prediction.”

It’ll be a much-lower key return for Dallas at Mote Park Leisure Centre on the last weekend of October.

The former Prizefighter semi-finalist is determined to come back and reestablish himself in the heavyweight division, he said, “People keep asking me if I’ve hung my gloves up but that’s definitely not the case.”

The action-packed show titled ‘Road to Glory’ boasts a top card consisting of five unbeaten prospects – Ramsgate’s Sammy Holloway (2-0-1); Maidstone’s Chris Matthews (4-0); Leysdown’s Louis Greene (4-0); Sheppey’s Oli Edwards (3-0); Chatham’s Charlie Shane (2-0); plus, exciting debutant Owen Stone makes his pro bow in the cruiserweight division.