Comeback king Gary Rae has told how he feels like a winner again after making a successful return to action with a unanimous points win over English journeyman Adam Hutchinson last week.

Comfortable, if slightly apprehensive in the opening stages, Rae won five of the six rounds against an awkward southpaw at the Radisson Blu, in Glasgow, dominating from the second round until the final bell to take his professional record to nine wins with just the one loss.

The 30-year-old Barrhead boxer had been out of action since last October after suffering the first loss of his pro career in a bout for the BBBofC Celtic bantamweight title against Scott Allan.

READ MORE: Gary Rae set to make long-awaited return to the ring

Rae has spoken openly about coming to terms with that loss and even admitted there were some lingering thoughts about hanging up his gloves after a difficult spell out of the ring.

But the win over Hutchinson has put those thoughts firmly out of his mind, with the super-bantamweight admitting he was delighted with his comeback.

“That was an amazing feeling, I feel like I’m a winner again,” Rae told Barrhead Sport. “As a boxer, everyone always asks ‘how was your last fight?,’ so the Allan fight was constantly in my head. Now I’ve finally put that behind me. I’m a winner again.

“It was a really good fight to come back with. The boy was a southpaw – the first lefty I’ve boxed in seven or eight years. That made it a bit awkward but it was a good fight.

Barrhead News: Gary Rae’s return to action was a success as he won five of the six rounds against Englishman Adam Hutchinson (Photo: Allan Picken)Gary Rae’s return to action was a success as he won five of the six rounds against Englishman Adam Hutchinson (Photo: Allan Picken)

“I felt so strong throughout. I was using my physical presence more than I did in my last fight and that’s something I intend to use more going forward.

“I broke his nose in the third round and maybe should have came forward a bit more after that to finish it but I got the win and that is definitely the most important thing.”

After spending the best part of a year out of the ring and with doubts about his own ability eating away at him for the majority of that time, ‘Razor’ could have been forgiven for suffering some pre-fight nerves ahead of getting back into the ring at the St Andrew’s Boxing Club event, which boasted former Commonwealth and European champion Willie Limond as the headline act.
Rae insists, however, that his will to win countered any anxiety on the night.

He added: “Surprisingly, there weren’t any pre-fight nerves for me. I’m usually very calm before a fight. I have been like that since I was an amateur and everything had gone well training-wise in the build-up to this, so there were no worries there.

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“I did think to myself that eight months out was a long time but I was totally convinced I was coming out with the win, irrespective of whatever happened in that ring. I genuinely didn’t care what I was hit with, I would do whatever it took.

“It turned out maybe a bit easier than I had expected and maybe that led to me taking my foot off the gas a little bit as the fight went on but, from all the feedback I’ve been getting since the fight, it was the most competitive and interesting bout of the night, so it was a good way to make my return.”

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