UPBEAT Bournemouth boxer Jake Best insisted he had no regrets after the biggest fight of his professional career to date ended in defeat – and said: “If I could go back tomorrow, I would face him again.”

Best rode a barrage of punches in the first round and started to grow into the contest against James Moorcroft before he suffered a large cut above his left eye from a clean right hook, which forced a second-round stoppage.

Less than 48 hours before the contest in Bolton, the 34-year-old overcame a dramatic series of events, which saw the fight cancelled at one point and then dropped to welterweight – a weight he had never competed at professionally before.

However, he successfully stepped on the scales before entering the ring against the unbeaten talent.

And Best said he would look back on the challenge as a positive, with plans already taking shape for his next bout.

He told the Daily Echo: “As an away fighter they are going to push the boundaries. For me, I achieved an experience I never would have normally been given.

“He is ranked 16th in Britain and what we’ve found out since is everyone is saying he is going to be a likely champion.

“If I could go back tomorrow, I would face him again.

“I made a weight I never thought would be possible for me and I made it comfortably.

“I was full of energy and I felt good before I went in the ring.

"Not once in the ring did I feel tired or worn out. I was starting to grow into the fight before I was cut. He was just by far a better boxer.

“If the cut didn’t occur, I would like to think my fitness would have played a big effect in the fight, especially when we saw the effect my power was having on him early on.”

Best added: “I have immediately been offered my next fight off the back of my performance in this fight and that would be at the O2 in London.

“It would be a big step up and on a huge undercard in July.”

Defeat left Best with a professional record of six wins and three defeats.

While the physical damage of the loss saw him require a series of stitches, he said his pride remained intact.

“I’m in this to try and inspire some of the younger generations,” said Best.

“To me, you lose in life if you don’t try things.

“I can take away an experience from this fight that I would not get in any other aspect of life, so it is beneficial.

“I have ended up with several stitches for it, so it is good I was never going to be a model, but it is all positive from my side.

“The training camp has allowed me to be as fit as I can be and I have been straight back out there a couple of days after the fight.”