BOURNEMOUTH boxer Jake Best will exorcise the “enormous stress” caused by the cancellation of recent fights when he returns to the ring on Saturday.

Best was out of pocket to the tune of £3,400 after a bout at London’s York Hall went by the wayside in February.

The administrative problem which cost the 32-year-old his opportunity to box in the capital – the British Boxing Board of Control had not received blood test results from his latest medical – also stymied Best’s plans for a contest in his home town earlier this month.

But, after signing a deal to be represented by the influential Assassin Promotions, Best is itching to make up for lost time when he battles Georgian Eldar Berkatsasvili at Bournemouth’s Hilton Hotel.

Best told the Daily Echo: “Assassin have links within the professional game which I wouldn’t have independently or through my current management.

“They have guaranteed me fights in Mexico and America at the end of the year. And, as long as I keep winning, I am looking to appear on televised and pay-per-view events this year.

“As a home boxer, without that backing, you have to cover £3,200 worth of funds, through sponsorship or ticket sales, in order to secure your fights.

“For that fight at York Hall I had sold £3,400 worth of tickets. It was called off days before which left me having to refund money to everyone. The stress of that was horrendous.”

Best is in a hurry to reach the pinnacle of his light-middleweight division, with his ultimate ambition to fill Vitality Stadium for a major title fight.

The boxer's drive for the top represents a far cry from the days when he was considering throwing in the towel on his ring career.

“I was involved in unlicensed boxing which is where I got my local following,” said Best, who has won both his professional fights.

“Then I did well in the amateurs and I was going to stop after that. But my trainer Steve Bendall said, ‘you would be wasting a talent, let’s do something here’. I decided I would have too many regrets if I didn’t give it a go.

“I want to get my record to 10-0 this year, which would give me a huge advantage over everyone else going into 2018.

"When Assassin approached me, because of the number of fights they can guarantee without me having to worry about ticket sales, it didn’t take any thinking about.

"My contract secures me a minimum of eight fights per year. On top of that I have four fights with Bendall Promotions.

“Ideally, I want a title shot this year. But if that doesn’t happen, then – if I am 10-0 – a European title next year is a realistic ambition.”

Best will be joined on the Hilton Hotel card by Bournemouth super-lightweight Sam Jones, another Assassin fighter, who will be protecting an unbeaten start to his professional career.