Former European champion Danny McIntosh is back in business, back in Norwich – and ready to get back in the ring, with the help of Jon Thaxton.

The 32-year-old has had a quiet time of it since his losing his British light heavyweight bid to a superb Tony Bellew in Liverpool in April – Big Mac's second successive defeat after losing his European crown to Eduard Gutknecht in Germany nearly a year earlier.

And McIntosh admits that left him questioning whether to carry on in the sport.

But the fighter, who has worked out of the Ingle's Wincobank gym in Sheffield, has made changes and is getting his groove back.

McIntosh is now back living in Thorpe Marriott and has been working with Thaxton for the last six weeks at Costessey's Ingle-backed Diamond Gym, and has headed into Europe to get sparring – a move all parties hope will bring McIntosh a return to action.

'I was at a cross roads with my career after my defeat to Bellew and to be honest, after that loss I really did have to think long and hard about my future,' said McIntosh.

'However, after long discussions with my management team of Jon Ingle and Neil Featherby, we all decided I would be more settled working here in Norwich as opposed to commuting back and forth between home and Wincobank.

'So far it's working a treat and I really have rebuilt my confidence and feel my career is set to go forward again.'

McIntosh is heading off to Ukraine to spend time sparring and training with Vyacheslav Uzelkov.

The Ukrainian is currently deep in preparation for his WBO world light heavyweight title challenge to Nathan Cleverly in Cardiff at the end of the month.

'This is also a great experience for me and in some respects straight back into the big time,' said the Norwich fighter, who lost his Commonwealth and British title bid to Cleverly three years ago in his only other career loss.

'I can measure myself against him and see just how far I am away from being considered for major titles again, and of course get two solid weeks of training under my belt.'

Uzelkov has 27 wins and two defeats against his name, with one of those defeats to Gutknecht.

Trainer Thaxton also hopes McIntosh is back on track for a fight return.

'They called up for Danny's services knowing he's a former English and European Champion, and of course a former opponent of Cleverly's,' he said.

'It's all coming together very nicely and he is definitely one of those fighters that performs better when he has his family around him, hence why we've got him working out of Norwich again.

'But the Ingle link is a very strong partnership and we will still be working between both gyms in preparation to get Danny and all my fighters in the best possible shape.

'Going out to the Ukraine is a great opportunity for him and in the meantime I know there are a number of permutations being put in place that will hopefully soon get him right back on track again and into title contention, possibly even moving him up a weight.'