Boxer Rose admits his future is at stake

Rose challenges Arnfield for the World Boxing Association international midddleweight title, with his former gym-mate enjoying a purple patch after landing the belt against John Ryder in September and stopped Mick Hall in January in his first defence.

Rose lost to Matthew Macklin in his first big fight at middleweight last April, but the 32-year-old believes he’s now grown into the weight and can become a force at 160 pounds.

“There is more pressure on me because I have a lot more to lose,” Rose said.

“My career is on the line, Jack’s isn’t – Jack will come again.

“It is quite easy for somebody young and up and coming to take a fight against somebody with a lot of experience who has done so much. For me, I have to think about my future.

“When I win it gets me higher up in the WBA rankings.

“He is coming off the back of three good wins so it was probably a bit disrespectful of me to say beating Jack doesn’t take me anywhere, because beating him does put me in good stead.

“I don’t think Jack would have ever dreamed of beating me two years ago – that isn’t me being disrespectful, just honest. This is a second coming for me.

“I feel better than when I had the world title fight, and that is the truth. For the Macklin fight I hadn’t had enough time to grow into the weight but this time I feel big around the arms, I feel a lot stronger, I am pushing people about in sparring and hurting people in sparring.

“I can only go off what I have done in training and since the Macklin fight a lot has changed. You will see a new Brian Rose with a different approach. People see me as a technical fighter but I am bringing something else and I hope Jack is ready for it.”

Rose and Arnfield clash on a huge night of action in Manchester as Jorge Linares and Anthony Crolla meet in a World lightweight unification re-match following their epic first encounter in September.

Crolla is seeking revenge for defeat on that occasion.