Rose: Shrink got me back from the brink
BRIAN ROSE almost quit boxing when a rival was left in a coma – but is now just six days from being on top of the world.
And he says it took working with a shrink to get his head right before he could get back to his best.
The neat Blackpool boxer challenges unbeaten American Demetrius Andrade for the WBO light- middleweight crown at New York’s Barclays Center on Saturday night.
Rose walked away from boxing in October 2009 after beating Jason Rushton, who collapsed after their fight and needed brain surgery before recovering.
When Rose returned seven months later he was still haunted by the memories of what happened and was brutally knocked out by Max Maxwell, suffering his only loss in 27 contests.
But 11 straight wins – including a British title success and revenge over Maxwell – has seen him soar to the mandatory position for Rushton’s title.
Rose said: “He was in a coma for a week or so. It wasn’t nice – it was the lowest point of my career. I actually quit for three or four months, then my trainer Bobby Rimmer convinced me to go to a psychologist.
“He said to me, ‘ Is it worth throwing away all those years of hard work because of one thing which wasn’t my fault?’
“I thought I was okay, but got knocked out by Maxwell seven months later in a fight where I didn’t throw any punches and only wanted to defend myself.”
The meeting with shrink Emma James did the trick and Rose hasn’t looked back.
“Step by step they’ve got my head around the fact that it wasn’t my fault. It’s boxing and in boxing, that can happen,” he added. Rose and Rimmer have been in the Big Apple for a week preparing for the showdown in Brooklyn.
And, although he’s a 5/ 1 outsider to defeat the American slickster, British great Rick Hatton is tipping Rose to cause an upset.
Rose, 29, has even prepared for biggest night of his career at the Denton gym Hatton used before so many of his greatest nights.
Rimmer, who worked Hatton’s corner, now owns the gym and Hatton said: “He goes over there as an underdog and he’ll be up against it a bit. But don’t forget there was another young Mancunian called Ricky Hatton who was once up against it and he proved everyone wrong.
“Brian needs to go over there and believe in himself. If he does that, upsets can happen.
“Brian has the type of ability that, if he gets into Andrade quickly and starts well, there’s no reason why he can’t win.”