Kid Galahad lost his IBF featherweight title in dramatic fashion to Spanish veteran Kiko Martinez in Sheffield on November 13.

The 31-year-old Galahad, 28-2, appeared to be in control until the end of the fifth round but then took a massive right hand and hit the deck. Despite having a minute to regroup, he walked back out for the sixth and was dropped by the same shot and his brief title reign was over.

Tris Dixon: How have things been the last couple of weeks?

Kid Galahad: Not good, mate. But, things happen in life and you can’t let things get to you. I just got complacent and it cost me the fight.

TD: Have you been back in the gym?

KG: Yes, I was back in the gym on the Monday morning [after the fight]. That’s how it goes, isn’t it? What can you do?

TD: People were saying beforehand, talking about you fighting [Emanuel] Navarrete and saying Martinez was old, did that lull you in to a false sense of security?

KG: Not really, it’s just what happened on the night. I got complacent in the fight and got caught with a shot I shouldn’t have got caught with and that’s the game, one shot can change it all. I knew he wasn’t past it anyway, with people saying that. I didn’t see things like that.

TD: You said if he had a chance to beat you it was going to be his power that did it?

KG: A hundred percent and that’s it. I got caught out. I’ve got a rematch clause and I told Eddie [Hearn] I want it ASAP and do a job on him this time.

TD: Do you think you’ll have to travel for it this time?

KG: It doesn’t really matter whether I have to travel or not. If I have to travel to Spain I will. I don’t know that he’s a big draw in Spain like that anyway but I don’t really know.

TD: Do you have the beating of him?

KG: Yes. A hundred percent. I believe so. I’ve just got to go in there and do it and that’s it.

TD: Until that one shot, you were in control…

KG: I was. Like I say, I got complacent and that’s it. I took my eye off the ball.

TD: In terms of the stoppage, people have said you shouldn’t have been let out for that final round. Was it matter of you should have just moved to your right instead of your left [away from the Martinez right]. Thoughts?

KG: Yes. In my whole career I’ve never been hurt like that before and if you’ve not been hurt like that before you don’t really know how to react and it’s different. The thing is, people are always going to speculate and say this or that but it’s just one of those things. End of the day, it’s a championship fight. They don’t really understand what’s on the line and everything else but why would they? Why would I not come out for that round?

TD: In terms of how you felt, did you have your senses back before coming out for that round or was it a matter of staying out of trouble for a minute and getting your legs back under you?

KG: Yes, it was trying to stay out of trouble and see where you come from there. The thing is, if you’ve not been in that situation before you don’t know what to do. You have to take the positives out of it and that’s all you can do.

TD: When you say take the positives out of it, do you mean just learn from it?

KG: Yeah, I should have never got complacent and I did. It was all me from the get-go and then there was a split second and that’s boxing for you. I’m not the first and I’m not going to be the last.

TD: You said you didn’t think it was going to be easy but after the start you made, did you switch off and take it for granted?

KG: You know, when I was in there I expected him to hit really hard and he actually didn’t hit as hard as I expected him to hit – until that shot. When you’re getting hit, if you see a shot you can kind of tuck up or ride the shot but I didn’t see it and that’s why it was so effective.

TD: What’s [trainer] Dominic [Ingle] had to say about it?

KG: Nothing. I think everybody was a bit in shock and I’m the last person to take anybody lightly or underestimate anyone or take my eye off the ball and that’s it. It wasn’t like I was getting beat up. It’s different when you’re getting beat up for five or six rounds and then you get knocked out. Then you need to go back to it and see where you went wrong but when you’re getting caught with a shot you shouldn’t get caught with by a puncher that’s the consequences. There’s a long list of fighters who have done the exact same thing, a bit like Lennox Lewis getting knocked out by Hasim Rahman, it depends where you go from this position now. I’ve got a rematch clause and we’re going to get that hopefully February-March time and do a job on him.

TD: Did you have any lasting headaches or issues after or was it just bruised pride?

KG: Just my pride. The mad thing is, I didn’t even come out with a mark on my face. Physically I didn’t have a bruise on my body, head, nowhere.

TD: So you might not get the fight you want next but you should get the fight you need?

KG: And that’s it, that’s the name of boxing and that’s how it goes. It’s about beating him and seeing where you go from there. Of course I want big fights but that’s not the reality of boxing. That’s not how it goes. I’ve been in the game long enough and I understand how it works but now I’ve been knocked out it might be a good thing because people will be saying they can beat me now.