The Brampton fighter, 28, lost unanimously in his bid to become Barnsley's first ever Commonwealth champion on Saturday night at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

All three judges had Birmingham man Gamal Yafai retaining his belt with scores of 118-112 and 117-112 twice. Wale and trainer Stefy Bull both felt the scorecards should have been closer but were pleased with the display after he managed to successfully block many shots and frustrate his opponent.

Super-bantamweight Wale said: "Performance wise, it was good. I think I just need to find a happy medium between the old Josh Wale and the new one but it's hard to get decisions in the away corner.

"I wasn't given a chance. He was going to wipe me out according to the bookies and polls on Twitter but he was never going to knock me out because he hasn't got any power.

"All the fighters I've lost to are touted as world champions in the making but none of them have really bothered me one bit. That shows you the level that I'm at as a fighter.

"He faded in the fight, which we expected, but he was hanging on so much. I still think it came a bit too soon but we will be back. Going from wiping people out (in lower level fights) to the top level is tough.

"I probably needed a fight inbetween."

Bull praised Wale for utilising boxing skills in the 12-rounder and said their plan almost worked. Bull has been working with Wale since the turn of the year in which time he has coasted to wins over limited foreign opposition.

He said: "I thought Josh boxed brilliantly and I was really impressed with him. He has proven that he is one of the best small fighters in Britain.

"That is why he gets chances. We were expecting a hard fight and the gameplan was to box him in the first six rounds and then step it up in the second half.

"Gamal hung on for dear life at times and he was lucky not to lose a point in the middle rounds. That would have made it a different fight but it was closer than the judges made out. In the 12th round he was running away from Josh like a chicken."

A move down to bantamweight is now on the cards and now Wale can call upon Bull's expertise in nutrition.

He will return to action on October 1 at the Dearne Valley Leisure Centre, Denaby.

Bull added: "Josh was walking around at nine stone one a week before the fight and he has never eaten as much.

"We think he can go down to bantamweight and be a force there."