CWMBRAN'S Gary 'The Rocket' Lockett admits he feels like quitting boxing after losing his WBO Intercontinental light-middleweight title.

The 25-year-old was stripped of his belt by Belarussian champion Yuri Tsarenko over 12 bloody rounds at the Cardiff International Arena on Saturday night.

After bravely fighting through the pain barrier with a broken nose and suspected fractured hand, Lockett lost on a split decision 115-113, 115-113, 116-115.

Ironically, with talk of home-town decisions on some visiting boxers' lips, Pontypool offical Roddy Evans was one of two British judges who voted against Lockett.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Welshman who damaged his hand early in the second when he crashed his fist on top of Tsarenko's head.

Lockett failed to hurt his durable opponent - now unbeaten in last five outings - from then on in as his injury nullified his huge left hooks and upper cuts.

The previously unbeaten fighter, with cuts to both eyes, suffered his biggest setback in the seventh when two huge hooks from Tsarenko left him reeling.

Speaking 24 hours after one of the biggest disappointments in his career, Lockett told The Argus: "At the moment I feel like walking away.

"I think I need some time to really think things through and then decide what I'm going to do.

"I've got to decide if I want to come back from something like this. But sometimes, I suppose, you can become a better fighter after an inexperience like this.

"The most important thing is that I learn from it."

Lockett, whose fight was shown on tape delay to America via US cable company Showtime, added: "He was a nightmare opponent.

"But that's not to say I should not have beaten him. I still say I could beat anyone domestically."

Lockett has only recently signed with big-time promoters Showtime, Frank Warren's company.

After stopping tough Australian Kevin Kelly to take his title in February, Warren had high hopes that Lockett would take a world title shot by the end of the year with the likes of WBO king Daniel Santos as a possible target.

The Welshman, who went into Saturday's chief supporting bout to Joe Calzaghe's world title defence with a proud 16 straight win record is now forced to re-evaluate his boxing career path.