OLYMPIC silver medallist Fred Evans, who narrowly escaped a prison sentence this year, is back at St Joseph’s boxing gym in Newport and plotting a professional career, the Argus can reveal.

The 2010 London Olympic welterweight finalist, still only 24, has seen his amateur career nosedive since his sensational performance in the Olympic Games, a consequence of his life outside of the ring becoming increasingly unsettled.

Evans was denied the chance to box at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year at the last minute, a result of a ban from the Home Office and Games organisers after he was fined in April 2014 for an assault in a Birmingham strip club.

He also split with long-time trainer Tony Borg and left the St Joseph’s gym where he enjoyed his greatest success, though his failure to settle at another gym gave cause for concern about his future.

That manifested when Evans left the Team GB camp in Sheffield and he has been in the headlines this year for the wrong reasons as well.

Evans was given a suspended jail term after punching a friend - despite a judge saying he "deserved" prison.

Evans, from St Mellons, admitted unlawfully wounding Michael Wilson at a Gloucestershire pub, breaking his jaw.

He was given a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, at Gloucester Crown Court.

Judge Jamie Tabor QC gave Evans the sentence after hearing a custodial term would be "devastating" for his career.

However, the first signs of a career revival for the immensely talented boxer have come after he settled his differences with Borg and opted to return to the gym where world champion Lee Selby and his brother Andrew train, among other top Welsh fighters.

Borg, who was highly critical of Evans after their split, questioning his work rate and application, admitted it’s now a case of fresh starts all around.

“We are excited and pleased to have Fred back with us in the gym, this is the best place for him, but we always thought that,” Borg told the Argus.

“It wasn’t too hard a decision as to whether we took him back, we discussed everything openly.

“Fred came to us, which is important, because it shows he realises as well that he should be getting back to his best and getting back to the levels he showed a few years ago.

“He’s still got plenty of time, he young enough and we want to help him achieve his goals.”

However, the complication for trainer and fighter will be Evans’ suspended sentence, which is likely to prohibit him from obtaining a license to fight from the British Boxing Board of Control in the short-term.

The Argus understands that Evans does have a well-recognised promoter ready and willing to sign him and the promoter is planning talks with the British Boxing Board over the coming days.

However, it seems certain that the former Lionheart boxer has now left the amateur scene for good as it becomes a matter of where and when he begins in the paid ranks.