Nathan Heaney knows that he must turn back the clock if he is to enjoy a dream ending to his career.

In November 2023, Heaney, 18-2-1 (6 KOs), produced the performance of his life to outbox Denzel Bentley and win the British middleweight title.

That night, a laser focused Heaney managed to disarm the dangerous Londoner but since then his fights have become increasingly brutal.

The first defence of his title - a split draw with Brad Pauls - became more savage as it went on and he was stopped in the final round of an inevitable rematch.

This February, a comeback against France’s Sofiane Khati went badly wrong. Heaney openly considered retirement in the hours after the seventh round loss but has decided to carry on.

He has, however, given himself a deadline.

“I think the most important thing is to get back out winning again because the way I'm looking at it , these are my last 14 months as a fighter,” he told The Ring.

“The goal all the way through since I got signed with Frank was to fight at Stoke City [football stadium].

“I know I'm still good but I’ve got to get back to the things I do well like when I boxed Bentley. Good jab, good movement, good engine.

“Between now and July next year, that's over a year and a lot can change for the positive so we'll see what happens.”

Heaney has been back in the gym since the painful defeat to Khati. He didn’t walk through the door searching for answers and he isn’t having to force himself through his sessions.

Heaney can take comfort in the fact that as soon as his standards begin to slip or his effort starts to wane, his trainer and close friend, Steve Woodvine, would be the very first person to let him know.

For the time being, that isn’t a worry. The old determination and desire is still there and the 36 year-old still wants to fight.

“No, it's still there. It was there in the fight [with Khati] as well,” he said.

“I maybe wasn’t as sharp as I normally am but I haven't had to go back looking for anything. It's not like the passion or the ability isn’t there. I can feel it's there and I wouldn't carry on if it wasn't there either.

“The most important thing with Steve is he just doesn't want to see me get hurt. Like he said if you carry on I will never see you get hurt again.

“If I'm ever in any trouble he'll make sure I'm not getting hurt. I can totally accept that because he just wants to look after me as a person.”

Importantly, Heaney’s comeback will have a purpose. He isn’t going to make himself available to the highest bidder, neither is he going to meander along aimlessly, delaying the inevitable.

Heaney achieved one lifetime goal when he beat Bentley to win the British title in November 2023 but fighting at the home of his beloved Stoke City is an ambition that remains unfulfilled.

The prospect is a longer shot now than it was in the aftermath of his shock win over Bentley but that hope of ending his career at the Bet365 Stadium is driving him on.

Heaney is all too aware that he doesn’t have time to pick a route through the middleweight division. That 14 month countdown has started and he knows that he can’t afford to be choosy.

“Just like before; whatever gets me to Stoke,” he said.

“Now, unfortunately the disappointing thing was when I beat Denzel Bentley that should have been booked straight away. It wasn't Frank's fault, it was more Stoke City's side where they just were too hesitant with it. It should have been booked straight in and done.

“But in the time between that and agreeing the fight, I had a fight with Brad Pauls where the draw messed everything up.

“Now granted, I don't believe it was a draw. I thought I won by two or three rounds but still it messed everything up.

“Now I'm on the back of two losses it’s hard work. I'm not overlooking or underlooking everyone but I just need to do whatever I can to get back there.”