Mathews announced his link-up with new trainer Oliver Harrison in June

Liverpool lightweight Derry Mathews says he wished he had changed weights sooner for health reasons.

The former WBU world featherweight champion won his comeback fight against Kristian Laight last week.

Mathews told BBC Radio Merseyside: "For health reasons I wish I would have done it and I could have still be unbeaten.

"But I was world champion and there was no way I was going to work so hard to get that belt and I was not going to give it up."

Mathews says the pressure his body was under trying to lose weight to fight at featherweight caused the health problems and had a negative effect on his performance.

"It's ok in four round fights because you're only doing 12 minutes," he continued. "But when you go past eight rounds and 10 rounds then the effect comes over you.

"People don't realise when you're dieting you're losing fluid from your brain and your body and it's hard to replace that. Everyone says you've got 24 hours before you weigh in, but it's how your body can get the stuff back in."

The 26-year-old has set his sights high as he aims to compete for titles at his new weight.

"I feel no one out there at lightweight is going to bother me when I do get up to that level and start fighting for titles," said Mathews. "I believe I've got the skill and ability and I've got the right team behind me.

"I'm not here to say I'm going to be British champion in the next two fights. It's going to be a long journey, it's going to be another hard journey for me and another step up the ladder.

"There are a lot of people ahead of me who I believe deserve a shot ahead of me. But if a title fight did come up in the next couple of months I'd take it and I believe I'm good enough to be British champion or I wouldn't be in this game."

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