Over before it began

I recently travelled to asia and spent a few months in one place. I met a guy there who quickly became my best friend. At first he told me he liked me but I turned him down as I wasn't sure how I felt. I had a couple of meaningless flings with people in the months which followed. My friend met a girl and he became her boyfriend. At first I was happy for him but then I started to realise I liked him. I told him how I felt and he told me he cared a lot about me too.

We've kept in contact since I came home at times it was hard as he would make comments about the flings I have had and how I only liked him once he got a girlfriend (their relationship ended pretty soon after my return to England). he arrived back last week and arranged to come and see me straight away. he spent 3 days with me, again the problem of the 'flings' cropped up and I tried to defend myself but it didn't seem to help.

Anyway I spoke to him the night he returned home. I told him how much i cared for him but he explained how he doesn't want a relationship as he isn't ready for one (he is currently going through some personal problems aswell) He doesn't want to chance being hurt or hurting me. I told him I didn't want to stay friends and he was really upset about it. He seems to idolise the friendship we had before and says he would still have visited me just as friends (however this was never mentioned beforehand).

Does is sound like he cares for me as a friend or more? Is it worth fighting for him?