Luton boxer Sam King happy to return from injury with a points victory at York Hall

​Luton boxer Sam King admitted he felt like it was his debut once more when he made a successful return to the ring during his points victory over Dmitri Protkunas at York Hall on Saturday.

The 23-year-old had won his first two bouts as a pro but was then out of action since April, as after drawing against Artjom Spatar, a hand injury meant he was sidelined for a number of months. King was back out again at the weekend though, the fight broadcast live on TNT Sports, going up against Protkunas, a 20-year-old from Estonia, who came into the bout with seven victories from his 22 bouts to date, earning a draw in his last fight that was staged just over a month ago.

However, King got through the contest, and registered a third win from four, referee Sean McAvoy scoring the fight 39-37 in his favour. Speaking to Queensbury Promotions afterwards, the Lutonian said: “I felt really good. I wanted to test my hands out early on, make sure they’re back to normal. I haven’t fought or sparred in 10 ounce gloves, but as soon as they felt good, I started letting my hands go, double jabs.

"It was really working, I started marking his eyes up, so I felt really good. I’m buzzing, I had a bit of a lay-off so coming back into the ring, feeling fresh, it was sort of like my debut again. It was only four or five months out, but without sparring, without training and then coming straight back into a camp, it was getting the ring-rust off. It is important, I needed to get through those the last couple of months. It’s just been eating me up thinking where I’d be, but now I feel great, I’m happy, I can celebrate.”

Having been out of action in the last few months, King, who has a National title and seven international titles to his name, praised the help from his fellow boxers at Peacock Gym in Epping, as they helped him get back into tip-top condition for the bout. On the help that the likes of British champion British champion Denzel Bentley gave him in the build-up to the contest, he continued: “It’s important.

"We’ve got loads of fighters in the gym that have been there and done it, so getting advice from them, looking after my hands through the camp, getting them wrapped up properly, getting the right gloves and knowing what we’re doing is so important, so I’m really thankful to the team of people.”

Looking to the future now, King is aiming to be busy and out again before 2024 is out, as he added: “Hopefully I’ll be back out again this year. I want to fight again this year, so hopefully Frank (Warren) and TNT Sports, we can get out again. I’ve got a great team around me, so we can do that and then just next year we can move on, keep winning and then start aiming for some titles.”