BRADFORD on Avon fighter Gareth Heard is feeling the love for his sport after recording his fourth pro victory.

The 30-year-old Contender Gym man, returning to the ring after a nine-month absence, got the better of awkward Lithaunian Aleksas Vaseris 59-56 on points.

“The (Civic Centre) crowd were buzzing and I love that – that’s what it’s all about,” said Heard.

“I think with boxing, you fall in and out of love with it and when you’ve had a fight, you just want to be in the gym again and go to training straight away.

“I didn’t ever think that I was going to turn pro and if you’d have asked me four or five years ago, it was one of my dreams.

“I wanted to buy my house and I wanted to turn professional at boxing.

“To have achieved that and to be able to fight at a decent level; I’m quite pleased.

“I’ve been boxing since I was 15 and I’m 30 now so I can’t wait to get straight back into training – it just makes you hungrier.”

Heard was in control against a resilient Vaseris in his first-ever six-round contest but his opponent made the Bradford man work for his victory with his never-say-die approach.

The Contender Gym man added: “He was a tough lad and he took a lot of good shots. I found it hard to get to his body because he was just lunging in with everything.

“I can’t be too hard on myself though – I still won and that’s all that matters.”

Heard’s manager, PJ Rowson, said: “I feel that there’s a title coming next for Gareth.

“I think he’s proved that he’s good at the level he’s at and he’s gone through a six-rounder now.