Junaid Bostan refreshed and ready to make up for a poor night against Bilal Fawaz
BOXER Junaid Bostan has revealed he had to take stock of his life, inside and outside of the ring, after his 100 per cent winning record came to an end.
And some physical health issues, necessitating two hospital visits, haven't exactly aided his progress in 2025.
But the 23-year-old Eastwood prospect – Fancied by Matchroom promoters to go all the way – is revitalised and ready to pick up from where he left off before his draw with Bilal Fawaz back in January.
That bout in London, for the vacant English Super Welterweight title, featured an uncharacteristically out-of-sorts Bostan, who underestimated his rival.
Some felt the Rotherham man was fortunate to get a draw against a 37-year-old, who has since been trying to undermine the Rotherham fighter's confidence.
The pair sniped at each other in a recent Matchroom promotional video, a film in which a whispering Fawaz occasionally resembled a character from The Matrix film franchise.
Bilal said Bostan's handler, Eddie Hearn, had publicly accepted that Bilal should have won their first fight. "Even a blind man can see I won," he claimed.
Bostan recognised it could "have gone either way".
The back and forth continued as Bilal claimed a rematch had been postponed three times.
Bostan responded that he'd been in hospital twice and been "forced to have a re-set in my life".
The fighter admitted that the way he had been "living away from boxing wasn't aligning to the aspirations I have got in the sport."
That is all Junaid has to say on the matter. For him it is now all about October 11, the Sheffield Arena date in which the two go at it again.
While Bilal promises to embarrass Junaid in front of his home crowd, he isn't likely to find it easy.
Junaid is fit, oozing confidence and ready for battle.
The Steel City fighter told the Advertiser that his opponent's conduct in the video was simply him: "Trying to get attention and being something he isn't. "Anyone can rehearse lines in front of a mirror. I understand what he was trying to do, but it doesn't win you fights. Regardless of all the talking, it is how you perform in the ring. He was trying to patronise a younger boxer to get attention."
As for his previous health issues, he confirmed his hospital trips but said he didn't want to discuss the reason.
"Whatever I say now would sound like excuses, but after October 11, it will be different," he said.
Fawaz lived in a world of lies and would be up against a person who had developed as a man and as a boxer in the last eight months.
"Mentally, physically, and spiritually, I am in a good place and ready to put in a big performance," added Bostan.
"The first fight could have gone either way. When you go into a fight you don't go in intending to draw or lose. It's been and gone and I have taken the lesson from it.
“I have put my head down in camp and put my mind to it. And my life. I did what I needed to do.
"Come October 11 in front of a home crowd, I will reap the rewards."