GAVIN Rees returns to the scene of his greatest triumph and his biggest disappointment tomorrow night convinced he’s a better fighter now than when he was a world champion.

The 31-year-old from Newbridge is full of confidence as he prepares to take on Andy Murray for the vacant EBU European lightweight title at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena.

He turned professional with trainer Enzo Calzaghe in 1998 and beat Souleymane M’baye at the CIA to win the world light-welterweight belt in 2007 but he insists he’s never been in better shape.

Long periods of inactivity, a poor attitude to training and a terrible diet led to him losing the WBA belt in his first defence to Andriy Kotelnik at the same venue in 2008.

But Rees is a changed man under new trainer Gary Lockett, his former stablemate in Team Calzaghe, and he’s determined to win the European belt as he continues his journey back to world level. “Winning a world title is every boxer’s dream and that was the best night of my career so far,” said Rees. “Losing it was the worst but I’m trying to forget those fights and look to the future.

“I wasn’t training properly, I was eating bad food and I used to drink four weeks before a fight. I thought I was unbeatable.

“It happens to a lot of people. You think you can take shortcuts but it proved against Kotelnik that you can’t, it’ll catch up with you eventually.

“I’m 100% focused now,” he added. “Training is different. I run in the morning, I eat the right things.. I live like a boxer.

“I look back and think I was an idiot. I wish I was 25 again because I am a better fighter now.”

Rees has been on an upward curve since winning the light-welterweight version of Prizefighter in December 2009 while he was still with Calzaghe but Lockett has really got him back on track at lightweight.

He beat John Watson in Newport last November to win the British title and victory against unbeaten Irishman Murray this weekend would see him ranked in the top 10 contenders for a world title tilt by the WBC.

“It turned round when I won Prizefighter and I said to myself ‘it’s now or never’,” he explained.

“Team Calzaghe went pear-shaped and I’ve got three kids so I wasn’t going to leave Wales.

“Gary was a good friend so it made sense to train with him and I’ve put in some great performances since then.

“I won the British title and if I win this one I’ll be looking to get a world title shot back here in Cardiff at the end of the year or early next year.”

Two more Gwent fighters are on the bill tomorrow night with Cefn Fforest’s Rob Turley taking on Carl Frampton in a British super-bantamweight title eliminator and Pontypool’s Jeff Evans facing Dean Walker.

Tickets, priced £30 unreserved and £50 ringside, are available from the Motorpoint Arena box office on 02920 224488.