LIGHT-HEAVYWEIGHT Darrel ‘The Baptist’ Church is looking to avenge his first-ever defeat.

He will be back in action on October 17 at Grays Civic Hall against Angelo ‘Concrete’ Crowe who inflicted his only loss in the professional ranks last month.

Church said: “Getting the win in October will mean the world to me.

“I need to be able to get this fight behind me and move forward again in my career.”

The 25-year-old lost narrowly on points to Crowe on June 20 at the same venue.

The 175-pounder from Tiptree, immediately booked the rematch in an attempt to even the score as soon as possible. Post-fight, Church was understandably deflated after tasting his first defeat in his boxing story so far, which includes two professional and 11 semi-pro contests.

He said: “I feel a bit better about the loss now as I have the rematch booked but October just can’t come quick enough for me.

“The best fighters in the world lose and it’s how you come back from it that counts.

“I got the rematch on straight away and I need to prove a point.”

Church said he took too long to adapt to his opponent’s aggressive and awkward style in the opening rounds.

He said: “He came out in the first round just flying at me so it took me a couple of rounds to get into. By the time I got into it and worked him out, the fight was almost over.

“In the third and fourth rounds, I came on strong and I wobbled him in the last round; with another two rounds, I could have stopped him.”

The rematch will be extended to a six-round contest, which will be the first for Church.

He said: “Training will be the same as the last camp because it was nothing to do with the camp, it was the performance on the night.

“There may be a few adjustments in sparring as in stepping it up from the first bell but I can do the extra rounds fine and the longer distance will suit me better.”