Brian Rose pondering one final fight in Blackpool after controversial Sergio Martinez defeat

The middleweight suffered a controversial points loss to the 46-year-old in Spain on Saturday, despite appearing to have done more than enough to have his arm raised.

It’s left the 36-year-old former British champion with a tough decision to make once the dust has settled.

The ‘Lion’ told The Gazette: “I’m so disappointed about the result but I’ve got my head around it and in my head I know – and so does everyone else – that I won the fight. I know in my head I beat Sergio Martinez, so I can carry it on. But I do worry about my future because I’ve got kids and I’ve been selfish for too long. I’ve been away from my kids.

“When I’m boxing, everything is about me and that’s the way it’s got to be. I move out of my home, so my wife has to step up and have the kids. There’s a lot more to it than people see. When I train for a fight, I do it properly.

“There’s a lot to think about but I would love one last big night in Blackpool. I think I owe it to myself to do that.

“I used to love the nights in Blackpool and I think if we put on a good show, with some good young fighters from the town, I think it would be great for the town.

“I’d love to do it at Bloomfield Road, not necessarily the stadium but somewhere in the ground maybe. That would be amazing.

“It would be a homecoming. I know it doesn’t say I beat Martinez on paper but I won the fight and I’ve gone up a lot in everyone’s estimation because everyone thought I was finished. I won the fight convincingly.”

Rose outboxed Martinez in Madrid but was unable to record a knockdown during the 10 rounds. Former world champion Martinez claimed the victory via unanimous decision, 97-94, 96-94 and 97-94.

Rose added: “I went over there with the intention to win and win big because I knew that’s what I had to do.

“Everyone who was there thought I had won. Don’t get me wrong, he could punch. I’ve always been very strong with shots to the body but he hurt me. I didn’t show it, though.

“I hurt him in the second round and I wobbled him. He was gone but he hit me with a body shot which stopped me from going in for the kill.

“That’s my only regret from the fight – I maybe could have finished it in the second round.

“There was no urgency late on because we felt we were cruising. I felt I won it by six or seven rounds.

“People will say I’m biased but I’m not. I’m critical of myself but I honestly feel I won eight rounds to two.

“If I felt I had won by one or two rounds but he got the decision, I’d accept that. But I honestly felt I had won the fight convincingly.

“I jumped on the ropes after the bell. I was absolutely over the moon. I was kissing Bobby (Rimmer, his trainer).

“The people who travelled over from Blackpool were cheering, thinking I had won.

“I spat my dummy out and walked to the changing room because I couldn’t believe it.”

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