CHRIS Male admits he will consider his future in boxing after his attempt to win the English title ended in heartbreak.

The 30-year-old featherweight lost a unanimous points decision to Leeds’ Josh Warrington in front of a packed crowd at the Venue last Friday night.

It was the first defeat of Male’s professional career but after a long and often frustrating wait to land a crack at the English crown, the punching postman now plans to take time to decide his future.

He said: “At the moment I’m just very disappointed and a little bit sore.

“When my head has cleared I’m going to sit down and have a think about what to do. I’m not 100 per cent sure either way what I’ll decide.

“I still feel I have a lot to offer and on Friday I wasn’t at my best.

“But I’m 30 now and boxing is a tough sport in which you have to give full commitment.

“I’ve got to decide whether I’m still prepared to do that.”

Male had no complaints over the decision and believes his lack of ring action over the past two-and-a-half years ultimately proved decisive.

Since beating Liam Richards to the British Masters crown in June 2010, Male had fought less than four competitive rounds thanks in large part to bad luck with injuries and call-offs.

He feels the rustiness allowed Warrington to dominate the first half of the fight.

Male said: “It was a close fight but I did not think I would be that rusty at the start, in the end I was left with a mountain to climb.

“My fitness was better than it has ever been but I lacked sharpness.

“It took me a few rounds to get into the swing of things but by then it was too late.

“It was always going to be a tough fight and there is no doubt he is a talented fighter, we were both putting unbeaten records on the line.

“When you are fighting someone of that quality you are always going to struggle with the rustiness I had.”