BURY boxer Scott Quigg has revealed a fractured foot saw him fail to make the weight for his brave defeat at the hands of Oscar Valdez on Saturday.

The 29-year-old admitted the injury meant his body "just shut down" and saw him come in 3lbs over the featherweight limit, leaving him unable to challenge for the WBO world title in Carson, California.

He still fought on and put in a brave display, throwing almost 600 punches and landing a quarter of those, to take his unbeaten Mexican opponent the distance before a unanimous points decision went in Valdez's favour 117-111, 117-111, 118-110.

Despite defeat on his American debut, Quigg emerged from the fight with great credit and insisted his injured foot did not affect his performance.

He also made it clear the resulting weight advantage was not a way of getting the better of his former sparring partner, Valdez.

"It wasn't a tactic – four weeks ago, I fractured my foot," he told Sky Sports afterwards.

"It meant I couldn't do the roadwork and certain stuff and I knew the way I was going to be fighting tonight, we wouldn't change my tactics and I wasn't going to change my fighting style.

"I was well on track to making the weight, but I started cutting my weight earlier because I knew I had to be on it and because I started to cut it earlier, my body just started to shut down.

"On Thursday I was only 3lbs over and I did four sessions that day and it just didn't budge.

"But I take full responsibility and I didn't want to let my fans down, who had already paid for their travel.

"I got a bit of stick at home, people saying I was unprofessional that I've not made the weight, but I am not unprofessional at all.

"I still apologise for doing that, but I am not unprofessional. I don't cut corners.

"I am gutted, but there are no excuses – the better man won.

"It was a great fight and I was in it all the way along.

"I enjoyed it although I came up short.

"I hurt him a couple of times and he only hurt me once.

"He hits hard enough even if he isn't the biggest puncher I have been in the ring with."

Valdez took the decision and, after being told Quigg entered the ring 7lbs heavier, insisted it didn't make "much" of a difference and felt he would have won, even if his challenger "had made the weight".

The Mexican said: "Scott is a tremendous fighter and much respect to him – it was a war.

"I take my hat off to Scott Quigg – he came in with some good shots.

"I'm the champion and I'm ready to fight whoever."