Boxer Nav Mansouri wants re-match after unlucky title defeat

The 29-year-old from Rotherham slammed the “sad side of boxing” after he lost a split decision to Spain's Jorge Fortea in their IBF intercontinental super-welterweight title fight in Marbella nine days ago.

Most observers ringside believed Mansouri had done enough to win over the 12 rounds and there was surprise when the cards came in.

The French judged predictably scored it 115-113 in Fortea's favour but the UK judge went by the same score for the Frenchman. The neutral judged ruled it 116-112 for Mansouri.

“This is the sad side of boxing, you see it happen all the time but I never thought for one second it would happen to me,” Mansouri told the Advertiser.

“That fight was mine, I was very comfortable. I am always on the front foot in fights but this lad was a counter-puncher and I knew it would work in his favour so I switched the game around and let him get on his front foot. I went on the back foot to draw him in and I was picking him off.

“I could see everything happening in there. It was my first 12-rounder and I never felt out of breath. I was convinced I'd done enough and didn't need to do anything silly.

 “It has upset me. A win would have helped me move up quicker and do major things in the game.”

The defeat was only the second of Mansouri's pro career and he will now plot a way forward from his base in Spain.

A re-match is top of the priority list but whether or not that comes off, he intends keeping busy.

“I want to get out as soon as possible, ideally in a big fight,” added Nav.

“The promoter says he can put a show on for April time, an eight-rounder, so that's an option. I want to be in the mix, I don't want to take a step back.

“I'm pushing for a re-match and if I get it I don't want to leave it in the judge's hands. I'd box differently and put it on him.

“Whether they want to risk it, I don't know, they might look at other options. If they don't want a re-match then I would like to put myself back in the position where he has no choice with me. I asked the IBF president whether he could force a re-match and I'm working on that.”