Heavyweight Matty Harris believes the addition of Peter Fury as his trainer will enable him to fulfil his potential as the U.K. prospect prepares to make his return tonight in Telford, England.

Harris, who in July suffered his first career defeat, believes his switch to Fury will help launch a fresh start following a shock loss to journeyman Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko.

“It was not long after the defeat that I decided to call Peter, and we met up and we talked about my performance,” Harris recalled. “It was a pretty simple conversation.”

Harris (5-1, 4 KOs) is no stranger to Fury’s operation, having previously been hired as a sparring partner for Hughie Fury while Harris was still an amateur. 

Despite Harris suffering his first setback, he didn’t dwell much on the loss.

“I was back training in the gym on Monday,” he said. “Why would I take time off after a loss? That was the attitude that I felt and believed in at the time. I needed to work harder, that was the feeling I had. So I just got back in the gym.”

Harris took himself to the North West in September to train with Fury, and believes he will benefit from his new trainer’s coaching and sparring with Hughie Fury, a heavyweight contender and Peter’s son.

“I went up there to Peter’s in September, and I just feel it is a great move for me,” Harris said. “I enjoy the training. Peter makes me train hard, but I enjoy that feeling of training hard. 

“I am sparring a lot with Hughie, and I am learning a helluva lot with him because he is one helluva fighter, who has been in with some world-level operators.”

Harris, in his own words, admits he needed a fresh incentive but says the changes needed were straightforward when he discussed them with his new coach. 

“He knew and I knew what needed to change,” Harris said. “So it was a straightforward conversation, where anyone could have seen what I needed to improve on. So Peter and I know the changes needed, and put them into action.

“Peter tells me all the time that the most dangerous type of fighter is a boxer-puncher type of fighter. If you can’t be 100 percent committed to one of those types of styles, why not mix a combination of the two?

“I trust Peter because he has been at the highest level, and I feel he can take me to that level.”