Following a disappointing campaign throughout 2015, former featherweight champion Nicholas ‘Axeman’ Walters is promising a better show for the year ahead.

The 2014 Sportsman of the Year, who has three fights scheduled for 2016, gave an assurance that he will be working assiduously to remain competitive in the local sporting arena.

“I know that athletics will take the spotlight this year because it is an Olympic year, but I am going to try my best to see if I can give them a fight for the Sportsman of the Year for 2016,” Walters told the Jamaica Observer at the RJR Sports Foundation Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Gala Awards at Jamaica Pegasus recently.

“In boxing you can easily get hurt so you have to be 100 percent for each fight, so I am going to work hard to be ready for 2016 just like previous years, and hopefully we will have better luck this year than last year.

“So the fans can look for big and beautiful fights from the Axeman because that is what we do and that is what we are going to bring to the fans,” he continued.

Walters, who won the vacant ‘regular’ WBA belt in December 2012, earned universal recognition as the champion when he knocked out Nonito Donaire in October 2014.

The ring’s number one-rated featherweight fighter experienced a row of misfortunes last year, starting in June when he was stripped of the WBA title after failing to make the 126-pound division weight limit.

However, Walters who tipped the scales at 127.4 pounds, went on to win the fight against former amateur rival and fellow unbeaten puncher Miguel Marriaga on a unanimous decision. That win moved his record to 26-0, with 21 of his victories coming by way of knockouts.

The ‘Axeman’ suffered an even bigger blow after moving up in weight to junior lightweight in December.

The 30-year-old executed a power-punching clinic in what appeared to be a rout of tough Jason Sosa during the Luis Ortiz-Bryant Jennings undercard at the Turning Stone Resort Casino.

In the end, the fight was — shockingly for some — scored a majority draw, with two judges scoring the fight 95-95, and the third judge scoring it an even more stunning 96-94 for Sosa.

According to statistics, Walters, who appeared to dominate from the opening bell and put a beating on Sosa, landed 281 of 622 punches (45 percent), while Sosa landed 168 of 873 (19 percent).

“It was a rough year because I only had two fights and lost the title on the scales, but eventually won what was a beautiful fight, unanimously, and then we got robbed at the end of the year.

“So it was a tough one, but that is all behind me now and I am now thinking about 2016, which is supposed to be a beautiful year. I have three fights scheduled, so let us see what happens,” said Walters.

Despite not being nominated for the Sportsman award, Walters, whose record now stands at 26 wins and one draw, was the recipient of the category award for boxing along with female boxer Alicia Ashley.

“Even though I was not selected as a nominee for the Sportsman of the Year, I think I did well. Jamaica has a strong background of athletes; so you have to give a super performance to win the award and I did in 2014. So now it is Usain Bolt and I am very happy for him and I am also a winner in my own right, so I am very happy,” he noted.