There was a time when Lamont Jones had a bright future in boxing. He is now preparing to resurrect a career that was put on hold for more than 12 years.

"I wouldn't be the man I am today had I not been through what I'd been through," he said.

Jones is a four-time New York State Golden Gloves champion, a two-time gold medalist in the Empire State Games, and a Silver Gloves national champion who made it all the way to the 1996 Olympic Trials.

"I feel cheated, I feel robbed and sometimes I feel a little angry,” Jones explained. “But I think that those feelings are only natural as a result of being incarcerated for 12 years."

Jones was convicted of armed robbery, but to this day maintains his innocence. He said while loaning his car to friends, they committed the crime.

Lamont went through appeal after appeal before the United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals overturned his conviction a year ago on the grounds of mistaken identity.

"I have a zeal for life, a passion for life and my aim is just to spread more smiles and tears not only in my life, but others as well."

Now at the age of 33, Lamont shares his boxing skills with aspiring young fighters at the Montgomery Neighborhood Center on Cady Street. He is also trying to get his own boxing career back on track. Jones is training under the watchful eye of his good friend Marcus Parker. Jones and Parker came up through the boxing ranks together and Parker believes his friend of 20 years deserves a second chance.

"The first few times I was kind of hesitant to say things,” Parker said. “The more he said Marcus I want to fight and I was seeing he was serious, I started letting him know, listen, I don't care, when we get in the gym you’re mine. Buddies we're over with, it is work time in the gym."

Jones is scheduled to return to the ring on March 20 for a Golden Gloves bout in Buffalo. It will come nearly 13 years after his last boxing match.

"Do you feel a little jittery about going in there after all this time?” Jones asked. “Of course, but for the most part I have no lack of confidence what so ever in my abilities in what I will do and that's destroy anybody that steps in the ring with me that day."

Lamont said prison taught him not to take life for granted. His plan is to turn professional following the March 20 fight.