JAMIE Ball believes things could be looking up after admitting 2012 has been “abysmal” for his boxing career.

The unbeaten light-middleweight has fought just once this year - an English title eliminator with Nasser Al Harbi back in March which was stopped in the fourth and declared a no contest when his opponent was cut above the eye.

A nagging back injury then saw a proposed fight in June fall through but Ball may finally have caught a break after the British Board of Control ordered a re-match of the Al-Harbi eliminator.

Purse bids are due in by November 14 but the fight could take place as early as November 30 in Wolverhampton, where Ball is already set to box.

Ball said: “It’s pretty clear boxing-wise the year has been abysmal for me so far.

“Having this fight gives me the chance to end it on a high note.

“It’s a good fight which everybody wants to see. It was a frustrating outcome for everyone involved last time.

“These are the kinds of tests I want and I want them when I am in my prime.”

While Ball is happy to be facing Al Harbi again, he feels both fighters have reason to be frustrated at how their years have panned out.

Al Harbi has fought three times since their March encounter, including a gutsy points loss in his attempt to wrestle the WBC International title from Italy’s Emanuele Della Rosa in Rome.

But he has still been unable to land a shot at current English title holder Erick Ochieng and Ball feels more should be on the line when the two men meet.

He said: “I’ve got a lot of time for Nas, we both want to get somewhere in the sport.

“It’s a shame we will only be fighting in an eliminator again and not something a bit more worthwhile.

“He has had three tough fights since we first met but hasn’t really got any further down the line. I think it’s bad for boxing.

“You have to devote your whole life to this sport and when you don’t get the opportunities you deserve it is very frustrating.”

Ball added: “The one big thing he will have in his favour will be the fights he has had in between.

“I’ve been out of the ring for more than six months but there is no way I would turn down a fight because of that.”