JOSH Warrington had such high hopes for 2020. An unbeaten world champion with the type of arena-filling fan following not seen on UK soil since Ricky Hatton, ‘The Leeds Warrior’ was all set to finally take on the world and attempt to unify the featherweight belts.
But just days removed from announcing he was returning to work with leading promoter Eddie Hearn, the Covid-19 pandemic started to grip the planet. Cue 14 months on the shelf, eventually topped by the demoralising decision to relinquish his IBF championship belt.
Warrington, 30-0 but now a former world champion, finally returns to the ring this weekend – when British boxing bounces back up off the canvas from the blow of a third national lockdown – in a non-title 10-rounder against little known Mexican, Mauricio Lara.
The last bit of camp is always a killer, but we grind through it, go through the pain barriers mentally and physically
Then when it’s time to work under the lights, we’re ready for anything!
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.#warringtonlara #feb13 #wembleyarena #thereturn #myjourneymyway #oneofmany pic.twitter.com/0QPUqLowva— Josh Warrington (@J_Warrington) February 9, 2021
The Mexican is the type of opponent Warrington would have turned his nose up at 12 months ago. But the last year has impacted his title aspirations perhaps more than any other UK fighter. Inactivity and an apparent lack of willing championship-level dance partners across the 9-stone division have allowed his fire to fizzle out.
Surrendering his IBF belt was actually the right move. Whilst Warrington and his team were negotiating with rival world champions, the New Jersey-based governing body were insisting on a mandatory rematch with Yorkshire rival Kid Galahad.
Quite why is anybody’s guess. Nobody outside of Galahad’s family home is in any rush to see that fight again, their first one was bad enough. Plus, the Sheffield challenger has won just one fight since his Warrington defeat – against a Puerto Rican currently riding a 2-4 run of results!
However, whilst dropping the belt to move his career forwards rather than backwards was commendable. It only really works if it unlocks a bigger fight next and that’s simply not the case.
It’s imperative Warrington produces something scintillating on Saturday night, behind closed doors at Wembley Arena. His world title coronation against Lee Selby, in front of a packed Elland Road, and subsequent beating of Carl Frampton at a capacity Manchester Arena (both in 2018) are starting to feel like distant memories.
BABY FACED WARRIOR
⏪A look back to 2012 when a very fresh faced @J_Warrington kept his unbeaten record intact against Ibrar Riyaz
Warrington v Lara – Saturday 7pm pic.twitter.com/bwamRvjW8Q
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) February 9, 2021
His world number one ranking is on the line, even in victory. He has to remind fight fans on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond that he remains the best featherweight in the world to have any hope of securing a world title shot against one of the other three leading names in the division this year.
Lara is only 22, turned pro at 17 and after losing his debut has ran up a busy 22-2 slate in just five years. In fact, since Warrington’s last fight, Lara has won five straight capping four stoppage wins with a gas-in-the-tank 10-rounder just eight weeks ago.
With that in mind, don’t be surprised if the young Mexican starts like a rocket and looks much sharper and accurate in the opening rounds. But Warrington is as game as they come and will eventually walk him down and start landing the heavy leather his meagre 7 career KO’s disguise so well.
TIP: Warrington by TKO 6-9
