Preston boxer Scott Fitzgerald has called out old rival Anthony Fowler for a rematch - despite the fact that his former Team GB team-mate has long since retired from the sport.

The pair had one almighty dust-up in 2019 at the Liverpool Arena with Fitzgerald famously coming out on top, via a points decision, after 10 breathless rounds.

Described as one of the fights of the year, the domestic contest caught the imagination of fight fans up and down the country.

Many judges could not separate the two men over the contest, that is until Fitzgerald dropped Fowler in the final round after a right upper cut hurt the Liverpudlian before a flurry of lefthanders put him on the canvas.

The victory paved the way for Fitzgerald to fight for the British title which he duly won later in the year by defeating holder Ted Cheeseman on points.

However, his win over Fowler is the one everybody remembers, especially as there was real ‘beef’ between the pair in the build-up to the bout.

Teenage rivals, the slightly older Fowler defeated Fitzgerald when the pair were young amateurs.

They then became unlikely team-mates on Team GB with the pair both winning Commonwealth Games gold, in Glasgow, in 2014 on the same day with Fitzgerald succeeding in the welterweight division, and Fowler coming out on top in the middleweight category.

As the pair moved into the professional ranks and were both promoted by Eddie Hearn, it would become only a matter of time before they would meet once again in the ring.

In the pre-fight build-up, the pair exchanged insults on social media, and had to be separated at a press conference after things got heated following an impromptu “The Gloves Are Off” on Sky Sports.

Billed as the underdog, Fitzgerald upset the odds producing a classy and courageous display to beat Fowler.

Victory was certainly sweet for the former Our lady’s RC High School pupil against his arch-rival, and a rematch back then looked inevitable.

Indeed the pair shook hands on a second contest to be staged at Deepdale - home of Preston North End.

Unfortunately, the fight never materialised as Fitzgerald’s life spiralled out of control amid an addiction to drugs.

He has been in and out of trouble with the law over the years since, serving a 46-week prison term in 2023 for assault causing grievous bodily harm after an altercation outside a pub.

Three years on, Fitzgerald insists he has overcome his past problems and is looking to make amends.

At 34-years-old, he is looking to rekindle his boxing career - believing he has still got a few good years left in him.

Fowler, meanwhile, moved on with his career beating Blackpool’s Brian Rose later in 2019, before going on to lose to fellow Liverpudlian and former WBO world light-middleweight champion Liam Smith in 2021.

His last fight was in 2022 and he officially announced his retirement from the sport a year later.

Fitzgerald’s request for a Fowler rematch maybe tongue-in-cheek, but in the crazy world of boxing, a potential second fight between the pair would create huge interest.

“Fowler had beaten me in the amateurs - nobody thought I could win, except me, I knew I could win,” said Fitzgerald, who is unbeaten in 15 professional bouts albeit his last fight was in 2021.

“I was confident I could win that fight - it sort of got me mad that nobody was giving me a chance.

“But I knew if I performed, I could beat him. I just wasn’t going to lose that night

“It was a great feeling to prove everybody wrong and myself right.

“When I get back in there (the ring), who knows, maybe he will come back out for a rematch.

“He has said a few things so that’s maybe one thing that will get him back out there, me coming back.”

Fitzgerald revealed he does not often re-watch the fight, but there will be certain times when he will be somewhere and one of his friends or family members will press go on the highlights reel on YouTube.

“The Fowler fight was the best night of my career,” said Fitzgerald. “I don’t watch it back that often really, but sometimes I will be somewhere and somebody will put it on.

“(When I put him down) I went running over. Usually when I put somebody down, I calmly walk to the corner but (on that occasion) I had a mad one.”

Having been represented by Hearn previously, Fitzgerald would love to hear from the boxing mogul, who is head of Matchroom Sport.

The boxing promoter has previously spoken how he tried to help his former fighter when he was struggling with his addictions.

He also described him as the biggest unfulfilled talent he has had under his charge.

“I am sure he would take me for some more fight,” Fitzgerald said. “I just want to concentrate on getting my (boxing) licence back and then speak to people then.

“See what direction I am going to go in.”

Fitzgerald has been training hard at his home gym - Larches and Savick Amateur Boxing Academy where his dad Dave is one of the co-founders, alongside Jimmy Moon and Joe Kilshaw.

It will be Fitzgerald senior and Moon who will be in Fitzgerald’s corner once he makes his long-awaited comeback.

What he could potentially accomplish in the future, the former Commonwealth Games welterweight gold medal winner is unsure but he’s determined to give it everything he has got.

“I think just getting back out there, getting back in the ring will be a big one for me.” he added.

“I would like to win another British title again and if things go great, we will see where I can get.

“If I can win a British title, that is going to put me up there and then I will push on and see how far I can get.

“European or world (title) maybe. I am just going to see what I can do - just keep training hard.”