Brian Rose Moving on Up as He Looks for Big Fights at Middleweight

Despite it being over a month since he defeated Carson Jones, Brian Rose is still sporting the scars of battle.

The Blackpool boxer's nose will remain a constant reminder of what he went through to win the rematch against Jones, a teak-tough American who had pushed Rose to the point of no return in his career.

Having lost to WBO champion Demetrius Andrade in 2014, The Lion looked to be building towards another shot at a world title at light middleweight when he suffered a first-round loss on February 14 this year.

Defeat was tough to take, but Rose was left embarrassed in his home town.

He was deeply unhappy with the stoppage by referee Ian John-Lewis, believing it had been premature. His disappointment got the better of him on Valentine's Day, leading to him taking out his frustration on several items of furniture at the Winter Gardens venue.

Take a look at the YouTube video below (around 13 minutes in) if you've not yet seen how Rose's temper got the better of him as he returned to his changing room.

The 30-year-old has since apologised for his actions. However, he is not sorry for showing his emotions, considering the importance of his job.

"I had sleepless nights [over the defeat to Jones]," he admits.

"Everyone had a go at me for the way I reacted backstage after losing that first fight, but if they knew what it meant to me [they would understand].

"Boxing is my life. It is my only income. My family relies on my income.

"I felt like I’d been hard done by, I felt like the referee shouldn’t have stopped the fight. That’s why I was so frustrated.

"Getting the chance to put that right…I had to do it before moving on."

Rose got the chance to right what he felt was a wrong when he faced Jones again on August 1, this time in Hull, England.

In Round 2, it seemed history might repeat itself, but a wobbling Rose came through the storm and eventually won by a wide margin on the judges' scorecards. 

“I probably could’ve made it a lot easier for myself. I could have got on my jab and boxed a little more," he said of the sequel with Jones.

"However, that all went out the window when he hurt me in the second round. I wanted to prove to him how tough I am, prove that I can stand there and have a fight with him.

"I believe I beat him having a fight, and I believe I proved I could beat him by boxing as well.

"But I proved to myself, and a lot of other people, that I can stand there and have a fight. Because of that, my stock has gone up massively.

"I didn’t think it would; I thought I would just win and everyone would say I should have won anyway. But it’s not been like that—I’ve got real credit for it."

Rose didn't just get credit for his success. He also gained a permanent bump on the bridge of his nose, collateral damage that he admits he'll now "have to put up with" until he hangs up his gloves.

He is also currently recovering from a shoulder problem picked up before the Jones rematch, making his performance on the night even more impressive.

The plan now is for the former British champion to return to action before the end of the year, though it won't be at light middleweight. Rose has listened to his body and made the move up.

"There are massive opportunities at light middleweight. I proved that by getting the world-title shot [against Andrade]," he said.

"But I just can’t do the weight anymore. Last time out, I did seem to do the weight the easiest that I’ve ever done it.

"However, I just think [losing] those extra two or three pounds kills me.

"I don’t want to be in a position where I’m not performing because of my weight. I want to make sure I am the best Brian Rose on the night."

The step up to the 160-pound limit is one Rose seems to be relishing. The plan is clear—he wants bouts that will bring in the bumper paydays he craves to help support his young family.

"[I’d like] one more fight, then a really big fight. Whether that’s a world-title fight, I don’t know," the Lancastrian said.

"I’d definitely want to either go over to the United States or get someone over here. I want big fights.

"I’m stepping up, so I think I deserve a warm-up fight at middleweight. But I’d jump straight into a big fight—I like tough fights."

Rose's nose testifies to his courage under fire. "Nothing can be done until my career is finished," he reveals, while also confirming that he feels no pain in the area.

The reconstruction work will have to wait for now. With Jones firmly in his rearview mirror, Rose is now looking forward to what lies ahead in a new division.

Rob Lancaster is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes that appear in the article were obtained firsthand, unless otherwise stated