Pegg believes Rose will lose mental game to Maxwell

Max Maxwell's manager believes Brian Rose will have to overcome more than just his charge's fists if he wants to retain his British title.

The light-middleweight pair meet in a Sky-televised 12-round rematch in Blackpool on March 31 and handler Jon Pegg [pictured with Max] is adamant that the ending of their first meeting will play heavily on the champion's mind.

Maxwell, whose up-and-down pro tab of 15-10-3 (3) is one of the most misleading in boxing, traveled to Huddersfield in 2010 and uncorked a booming right hand that not only brought to an end the contest but also the 15-bout unbeaten record of the neat-boxing Blackpool stylist.

Rose, 26, fell face-first, unconscious, in the sixth but has since gone unbeaten in four, picking up English and, most recently, British belts at 11st. He earned a hard-fought but deserved split decision over champion Prince Arron in December and is now looking to erase the only defeat in 20 paid outings [18 wins, five inside, and a draw].

But the hard-working and durable 32-year-old Brummie has only lost one of last five [and that was a controversial opening-round stoppage to Tom Doran in a British title eliminator last summer], held the aforementioned Arron to a draw and both the BBBofC and Sky Sports have given the green light for the matter to be settled once and for all.

And Pegg has little doubt that there's more to this fight than two men hitting each other. "The last time they met Max bullied him, pushed him back and switched his lights off," said the well-respected promoter, trainer, matchmaker and ex-bantamweight pro. "That's a huge barrier, psychologically, for Rose to try overcome.

"Rose might have gone unbeaten since and won the British title with a good win over a quality fighter, but what's going to go through his head when he's stood across the ring from a dread-locked fighter who knocked him out the last time they swapped punches?

"If we do things right in the gym and on the night, Max will repeat the trick and bring the British title back with him to Birmingham," he added.