IT is a frustration to Stuart Hall, the only Darlington boxer to have ever claimed a world title, that for the last year-and-a-half, he has had to do the vast majority of his fighting out of the ring.

A messy contractual wrangle with former promoter, Dennis Hobson, took more than 12 months to resolve, and meant that while the bantamweight division was evolving around him, Hall was unable to further his own ambitions of reclaiming the IBF belt he ceded to Paul Butler in the summer of 2014.

His last 12-round contest was the barnstormer of a fight that saw him go down with all guns blazing in a world-title showdown with Randy Caballero in Monaco five months later, but while the whole of 2015 was spent embroiled in out-of-the-ring arguments, he has now reached a point where he can once again train his focus on fighting.

With some of the financial aspects of his break-up with Hobson still to be agreed, Hall is understandably reluctant to go into the finer details of his acrimonious parting of the ways. You suspect he will relish doing that at some stage in the future.

For now, though, the 36-year-old is simply delighted to have teamed up with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom operation and be preparing for Saturday’s IBF world eliminator with Rodrigo Guerrero in Leeds’ First Direct Arena, the venue for his maiden world-title win over Vusi Malinga back in 2013.

Beat Guerrero, a highly-rated Mexican whose only two defeats in the last six years have come in World Super Flyweight contests, and Hall should be able to look forward to a shot at the world title Lee Haskins claimed from Caballero when the American failed to make the weight last November.

Win that, and the mouth-watering prospect of a unification bout with Jamie McDonnell – the fight Hall has wanted for the last five or six years – becomes a tantalising possibility. For now, though, the first task is disposing of Guerrero, and hopefully reminding everyone that the North-East’s most recent world champion remains a leading player on the very top stage.

“It just feels great to be back,” said Hall, who has kept himself ticking over with a handful of six and eight-round contests as his switch to Matchroom was being confirmed. “It’s been a tough few months and it’s been frustrating that my career has effectively been on hold.

“It’s a shame things had to turn out this way, but that’s boxing. I’m with Eddie now and he’s just made me feel so comfortable and happy. He’s someone who really wants to do the best for their boxers. He’s shown a lot of faith in me, and now it’s time for me to start repaying that faith.

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“It’s also a chance to remind people that I haven’t gone away. I know some people have probably been thinking that I’d slipped into the background, but nothing could be further from the truth. I always knew this day would come round, so I’ve been training every day as if I had a world-title fight on the horizon. I’m in great shape, and I’m like a caged animal raring to go.”

Hall has continued his relationship with trainer Paddy Lynch, and has spent the last three months travelling to the respected coach’s Midlands base.

In the past, he feels his preparation for some of his biggest fights has been somewhat thrown together. This time around, however, nothing has been left to chance.

“I don’t want to disrespect the people I’ve worked with in the past because if it wasn’t for Johnny Harrison, who got me in the shape for the Malinga fight, I would never have been world champion,” said Hall. “But after that, the time with Mick Marsden wasn’t what it should have been really.

“Now, I’m part of a team that are amazing when it comes to their preparation and professionalism. It’s a different world, and when I’m in that ring at the weekend, I’ll have one of the most experienced men in boxing helping me out and in my ear.

“In the past, I’ve just been told to go in there and fight. I like a brawl, so it’s basically come down to me doing that. This is going to be totally different. We’ve studied loads of Guerrero’s fights and we’ve got a detailed plan of what to do to beat him. I’ve never really been talked through a fight like that before.”

Guerrero’s previous fights mark him down as a front-foot aggressor similar to Hall, but while the North-Easterner is prepared to go toe-to-toe if the situation demands it, he intends to adopt a more technical approach at the weekend.

“He’ll be tough because all Mexican lads are, but I know what he’s got and it’s not going to hurt me,” said Hall. “Paddy’s put a plan together and it’ll neutralise his only assets. If I close him down and fight cleverly, I think this could be very one-sided. But then I also know that if I have to change tack, I’ve got the shots and the stamina to blow him away.”

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A convincing victory would pave the way for what would be a fifth world-title fight, and while Hall lost on points to Haskins in a European decider in 2012, he is confident there would be a different outcome if the pair were to meet again.

“I was a baby back then,” he said. “I’ve got so much more experience and improved out of all recognition from when I fought him the first time. Haskins has got nothing. He’s great at chit-chat and coming out with nonsense, but the fact is that he’s got his world title by beating no one.

“He wouldn’t have had a chance if Caballero had made the weight, and I’d love to be able to shut him up once and for all. That’s further down the line though. My job is to take care of business in Leeds – do that, and we’re right back on track.”