Blackpool boxer Brian Rose ready to write thrilling last chapter

A recharged and rejuvenated Brian Rose says his comeback to the ring after a 19-month absence was motivated by a desire not to retire on a “bad note”.

The Blackpool boxer makes his return next month, having been out of action since March 2017, when he suffered a points defeat to Fylde coast rival Jack Arnfield.

Rose, 33, challenged for the world light middleweight title in the USA four years ago and insists he never contemplated retiring.

And he says now is the right time to go back into the mix.

“Things are going great,” Rose told The Gazette. “Having a year out, I’m now injury-free and I feel like I’ve recharged my batteries.

“It’s the longest I’ve ever had out of the ring and that goes back all the way to when I was nine years old.

“I feel like I’m ready for the final chapter. I just feel like I’ve still got so much left to give.

“I don’t know what’s left out there to achieve. I won Central Area, English and British belts, and I challenged for a world title.

“Apart from winning a world title, there isn’t a lot I haven’t achieved. But I feel that while I can do it, why not do it?

“I love the structure of it and I feel I can’t finish on a bad note. I think I deserve better than that.

“I don’t think I reached my full potential in my last fight. I’m so much better than that.

“I didn’t give it my all and for whatever reason I didn’t go to war.

“If I had gone to war I think I would have quite easily won that fight.”

The middleweight (29-5-1) doesn’t have an opponent confirmed yet for November 9’s MTK Global show at Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, but Rose confirmed it’s likely to be a six-rounder.

He added: “I was messaging MTK for a while asking for a fight date. They offered me quite a big fight but I said no because I wasn’t going to be ready.

“I told them I need to do it properly, which they understood. so I’m going to have a six-rounder and then look for a big fight after tha.

“My management have done a great job. I said I wanted no pressure on a small hall show and that’s exactly what they’ve given me. My opponent is still to be confirmed but I’d like to think it will be quite straightforward.”

Rose’s return from the wilderness is being supported by Fleetwood Town owner Andy Pilley (see right), who has provided sponsorship to the Blackpool-based fighter.

“I’d just like to thank Andy Pilley at Fleetwood for helping me out in this final chapter,” Rose added.

“His sponsorship is amazing and it lets me do what I need to do, which is concentrate on training.

“He’s going to help me so much in achieving what I want to achieve again.”