MITCH PRINCE believes a successful New Year's revenge mission can help put him back in among the boxing big boys.

The 29-year-old will take on Glenrothes' Stuart Green for his Scottish light-welterweight title, at the St Andrew's club's Burns Night show a week on Monday.

And he is determined to even up the single-point defeat he suffered in their previous fight three years back.

A successful shot at redemption could offer Prince a route back to a major domestic title and another possible revenge mission against the man he wants to meet above anyone else - Commonwealth champion Willie Limond.

But right now Prince only has eyes for Green. He said: "In my first fight with Stuart I did not prepare as I should and I hold my hands up to that.

"I trained for four weeks when I should have been in camp for nearer 10 and I faded badly down the stretch and lost by a single round on the scorecard.

"So I have nobody to blame over that one but myself. Now I am in a much better place, and am in love with my boxing again thanks to the training of Jim Love, Tommy Gilmour's management and the sponsorship and support of Lee Rawlings.

"Green is an itch I've been longing to scratch for almost three years and now at last I have the chance to show what I am capable of when I am in proper shape. This is a fight in which I have to make a statement and am determined to do just that.

"Boxing on the top of the bill at the St Andrew's Burns Night show is an honour, given the likes of Jim Watt and Ken Buchanan have also done so. This is about proving Mitch Prince is the real deal."

If Prince can repeat the intimidating intensity of his relentless performance against Limond in their June war for the latter's Commonwealth title at the Bellahouston Centre last June, Green will do well to hold him off.

So convinced was he that he had beaten Limond, Prince posted video footage of what was undoubtedly the best domestic bust-up of 2013 on YouTube.

The South African-born boxer said: "After the fight with Willie I believed I was well worth my position in the British rankings. I believe I beat Limond and everyone who was there saw that, I matched competitively over the 12-round distance.

"That's why I put the fight on YouTube. I wanted everyone else to see my performance, and see that I can compete at that level.

"I believe after that performance I deserved a British title shot. It did take a bit of time to get that one out of my system but I came back in November and took care of Ivan Godor.

"Now it is all about beating Green and having that Scottish title belt wrapped around my waist.

"The way back to Limond is to beat Stuart Green and nothing is going to stop me achieving that. Nothing would make me prouder than to make the Scottish championship my first professional title."