Bulgarian battle for Blackpool's Rose

Blackpool boxer Brian Rose faces Bulgarian fighter Stiliyan Kostov at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham on Saturday.
Brian RoseBrian Rose
Brian Rose

It will be Rose’s first fight since April, when he lost on points to Matthew Macklin in a gruelling contest at London’s O2 Arena.

Rose has since had a successful operation on an injured elbow and sees the fight with Kostov as a stepping stone to bigger and better things as he bids to clamber back to the top bracket.

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Kostov, who has never fought on these shores, is 30 and has had 26 contests. He has had 20 wins (16 of them by knockout) and six losses (four knockouts).

Rose’s trainer Bobby Rimmer said: “Brian wants to show how serious he is about fighting at the top again.

“After Saturday night, we will be going to (promoter) Eddie Hearn to see what is there for Brian.

“Brian wants the big fights and this is no time to be messing about.”

Saturday’s bout, which will be made at 11st 6lb, is on the undercard of a Matchroom bill topped by the WBC international welterwight championship fight between Frankie Gavin and Sam Eggington.