Paul Economides is ready to make up for lost time and make a statement when he returns to the ring this weekend.

The 30-year-old will be fighting for the first time this year after his last scheduled bout was called off at the last minute.

Economides was supposed to take on Mark Evans in all-Welsh tear-up on the undercard of the big Martin Murray-Gabriel Rosado bout in Liverpool last month.

But the Vicars Cross resident was forced to pull out following a ‘shock’ 11th-hour hitch.

The disappointment and frustration he felt at the cancellation has, however, swiftly subsided.

Economides will now face Ashley Lane in a six-round contest at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester on Saturday.

Lane, the Midlands area bantamweight champion, sprung a surprise earlier this month when he ended Thomas Kindon’s unbeaten record.

And Economides, who trains at Chester Boxers in Hoole, said: “I can’t wait to get back out there. The day before the weigh-in for the Evans fight I got a phone call saying my medical had run out that day.

“I was shocked because usually you get a reminder about a month before. So I was like, ‘OK, let’s get this done’.

“But it turns out there has been a rule, which is a good one really, that the results need to be in five days before a fight. So that’s why I missed out.

“You’re waiting, you’re ready to go, you’ve done all the training, and then to be told I couldn’t fight was a nightmare. But I’m back out there on Saturday and I’m fighting a good kid as well.

“And I want to be facing good fighters. I want to make a statement by beating a guy who is at a high level.

“My last fight was for the WBC [international super bantamweight] title against Sean Davis. I don’t want to go from that to fighting a journeyman. But this will be a tough fight.”

Economides, nicknamed ’The Spartan’, has been sparring with twin brothers Gavin and Jamie McDonnell, the latter of whom is being lined-up for an all-British battle with Ellesmere Port’s Paul Butler for the WBA world bantamweight title.

And Economides, who was brought up in Connah's Quay, added: “I’m excited about this fight. I’ve had a long camp and I’m more than ready.”