RYAN Aston says the only way is up as he makes a long-awaited return to the boxing ring.

The 20-year-old Priory Park middleweight will attempt to kick-start his career for the second time at Leeds Town Hall this Friday when he takes on Lithuania’s Krill Psonko over four rounds.

Highly-rated Aston won his first seven fights as a pro before being ambushed by Curtis Valentine when they fought for the Midlands title last July.

Disaster then struck in his initial comeback bout against Tyan Booth last November when an accidental clash of heads saw the contest scored a technical draw and the subsequent cut then kept him out of a scheduled bout on the undercard of January’s Prizefighter tournament in Wolverhampton.

After all the disappointment, Aston just wants to get back into the groove.

He said: “The message is no matter what has happened before we start from here and we go up from here.

“I had a really bad couple of months with the defeat and then suffering the cut against Booth.

“Things really didn’t go my way but this year is going to be different.”

Aston has sparred with Matthew Hall, who challenges Billy Joe Saunders for the British title this Thursday, in the build-up and was at ringside to see Psonko beaten by Redditch’s Andrew Robinson at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on March 9.

A spot on the undercard of British light-middleweight champion Brian Rose’s next bout on April 20 is also on the cards but Aston only has Psonko in his sights.

He said: “I just want to get the rounds under my belt, get the win and move on from that.

“I want to get back to boxing. Instead of looking for the knockout I’m going to take my time and make sure there are no slip ups.”