By Ryan Burton
On Friday night, middleweight contender J'Leon Love (15-0) will fight for the first time since his suspension for using a banned diuretic in his May fight against Gabriel Rosado. The result has since been changed to a no-contest. Love faces Lajuan Simon (23-4-2) in the main event of a ShoBox quadrupleheader.
Love said that he can't wait to get back in the ring and that he is looking to make a statement. He said that sitting idle has only made him more hungry and his performance in the ring will reflect that.
"It has been a long time, six months. Six months goes by fast when you are enjoying yourself doing the things you love but I had to sit out and watch all these big fights that came up and not be able to fight. I patiently waited and now I am able to fight. December 6th and Lajuan Simon is the guy. I am ready to fight," said Love.
Lajuan Simon definitely isn't the stiffest test in the middleweight division but he is durable and should be able to give Love some rounds. He has a lot of experience and has faced some of the top guys in his weight class.
"He is a tough guy. I've seen him in there with Arthur Abraham and Triple G. He is a veteran. I know he has been inactive for a while but so have I," Love explained.
Friday's fight will be Love's third of the year. He hopes to have a busy schedule next year and hopes to be back in the ring in the first quarter.
"I want to be right back. Like I said, I am young. If I get this guy out of here, even though I don't look past no one, I want to get right back in February," Love told BoxingScene.com.
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