KELVIN Young says that he will look back on his career with great fondness when he hangs up the gloves next month.

However, his desire to face Sam Couzens for a third and final time will go unfulfilled after Young’s foe announced earlier this week that he was retiring after partially losing sight in his left eye and also losing part of his hearing.

While Couzens has walked away from the sport, the 29-year-old says that he is determined to finish his career on a high note in front of his own fans against an as yet unnamed final opponent at the Oasis Leisure Centre on Saturday, November 26.

“I was a bit gutted to hear Sam had retired, but I wish him all the best - health is wealth,” Young told the Advertiser.

“We shall never get to have that third fight now but I’m sure that our paths will cross again - maybe when we are both coaches.

“This is the last time I will lace up a pair of gloves and I’m determined to go out on a high.

“I’ve had this week off after my fight last weekend and I’ll be back in the gym on Monday for an eight-week camp.”

During his seven-year career as a professional boxer, the former Penhill ABC fighter has won five titles in the paid ranks.

“I have achieved more than I could ever have imagined,” he added.

“Before I turned over to the pros, I would be out for a run and think about what it would be like to be in a 10-round fight because, in the amateurs, we were only doing three two-minute rounds.

“I have won an International Masters title, a British Masters title, a Challenge belt, a Southern Area title and the IBO (inter-continental) belt.

“I’ve exceeded all expectations and I’d like to think that I played a part in helping to revive professional boxing in Swindon.”

Having packed out the Oasis Leisure Centre on a number of occasions, Young, who has lost seven times in 27 bouts, says that his proudest moment came when he fought for the IBO inter-continental super-middleweight title.

In December 2013, the former Southern Area champion out-pointed Bulgarian Alexey Ribchev to win his IBO crown before climbing off the canvas to defeat Francis Tchoffo in a brutal title defence seven months later.

However, in November 2014, Young suffered a shock defeat to Kiril Psonko in a non-title contest that saw him stripped of his belt.

“Winning the IBO title and defending it are the proudest moments of my career,” Young said.

“That fight against Francis Tchoffo was an absolute war.

“I’ve had some absolutely great nights at the Oasis. I know some people will want me to go on, but I’m going to walk away with my health.”