Born and raised at Jacksons Track in Victoria, Australia as well as the town of Warragul, Rose grew up in hardship and learned to box from his father. Roy (his father), was a skilled fighter at local house shows.
Later at the age of 10, Rose was given a pair of gloves by his teacher Ian Hawkins (who observed him shadow boxing). Aged about 15, he went under the tutelage of Frank Oakes, a Warragul trainer (whose daughter Jenny he later married). He won the Australian amateur flyweight title at 15.
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