Tom Dallas insisted he had no regrets after flying home from his surreal boxing adventure in New York.

Heavyweight Dallas had accepted a fight against American Charles Martin at Madison Square Garden with the WBO NABO belt at stake and the enormity of the situation hit home as he walked the streets of New York.

Dallas said: “I did some training – but you can’t train all day. I tried to chill out although that was difficult because all I could think about was the fight.

“The whole time, when I went to bed, I was thinking about it. I went out for a couple of hours and did some shopping but it was still there in my head!

“I was there three hours before the fight, going through my preparations. When the time came, there were thousands of people there – and I got a big cheer as I walked to the ring. I had some good support there.”

Martin came into the fight unbeaten in his three-year professional career.

Dallas said: “The plan was to have a 10-round fight, to go out there, feel it and see what it was like. I thought I was doing quite well but then I took a big shot four seconds before the end of the first round.

“Unfortunately, when you get hit by an 18-stoner, it hurts. I needed five stitches by my eye and I could have come out again but the cut could have got bigger so the referee stopped it.”

So was this a worthwhile trip for Dallas? “100%,” he said. “From start to finish, training, whatever, the whole thing was a great experience. Unfortunately someone has to lose and I’ve lost again but enjoyed the whole thing."