Chris Matthews will get an immediate rematch with Jules Phillips after losing his perfect record.

Unlucky Matthews suffered a shock points defeat on the Make or Break show at Maidstone Leisure Centre on Saturday night.

He was expected to beat Phillips, a man who’d won only one of his 13 fights as a pro, but was edged 58-57 on points.

Promoter Joe Elfidh was lining up a title shot for the Maidstone lightweight but those plans are on hold after Matthews suffered a first defeat after eight straight wins.

A rematch is likely to take place on May 5, when Elfidh hosts his next show in the County Town.

Matthews, 23, said: “I asked Joe for the rematch straight away and we can do it then. It was a close fight. He was smaller than me and I found him awkward to hit.

“It could have gone my way – there was only one point in it – but it’s one of those things.

“You can’t win every fight. You win some, you lose some. That’s boxing.

“One defeat isn’t going to set me back or stop me doing what I want to do. Everyone loses now and again but I want the rematch to put it right.”

Phillips has a poor record in the pro ranks but was a successful amateur, winning the Haringey Box Cup, so the six-round bout was never going to be easy.

Matthews was definitely the thinker in what was a technical contest but the away fighter’s hard work paid off and he won for only the second time.

Matthews said: “He did well as an amateur. I don’t know why he’d only won one pro fight.
“I suppose some styles are better suited to amateur boxing but he was awkward.”

Matthews turned down £6,000 to box on the George Groves versus Chris Eubank undercard in Manchester the week before the Maidstone show.

He’d been offered big money to take on the British No.2 but said no in order to protect his unbeaten record and be ready to box in front of his home crowd.

He’s adamant he was right to snub the biggest purse of his career, even after losing to Phillips.

“It wasn’t the right time,” he said.