In a new interview conducted at an Oscars after party, Chris Brown opened up and spoke briefly with the Mirror about his infamous fight with Rihanna.

The 2009 incident between to two singers, which left Rihanna beaten and bruised, was in Brown’s word, “The deepest regret of my life, the biggest mistake.“

Describing what happened, Brown say, “Sometimes you row, you fight, with the one you love and things get said, stuff spirals.”

While many Rihanna fans refuse to let Chris Brown off the hook for the violent abuse, Chris says, “[Rihanna] loves me – What can I say? I’m forgiven… but, yes, I worked hard for it.”

Brown ultimately admitted to the assault in court and was sentenced to five years’ probation and six months’ community service.

Since then, he adds, “I’ve learned a lot… I’ve grown up. I was very young and I took a lot of stuff, fame, for granted.”