Josh Warrington is grateful for the support he’s received after his knockout loss to Mauricio Lara.
Josh Warrington had the worst night of his career on Saturday but found some gratification for the support he received afterward.
Warrington was brutally knocked out by relative unknown Mexican Mauricio Lara on Saturday in London, the former featherweight titleholder’s first defeat. He fought bravely after a harrowing fourth round but couldn’t get out of the ninth round.
The Leeds fighter received thousands of positive messages from fans in the wake of his disappointment, which has made the setback at least somewhat easier to swallow.
“The support from the public in Leeds has been overwhelming,” he said. “Also, boxing fans from all over Britain have shown concern and sent lovely messages.
“It’s not been the best weekend, even Leeds United were beaten at Arsenal, but I just wanted to take time to say how much these positive messages and social media posts are appreciated.”
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Warrington and his wife, Natasha, traveled back home to Leeds in the early morning hours Sunday to celebrate the third birthday of their twin daughters, Elize and Oliva.
“Being around my wife and my girls on their third birthday was special,” he said. “They will always make me smile. Their birthday and hearing from so many well-wishers has been a great boost.
“Obviously, I’m hurting inside. I’ve lost my unbeaten record. That’s something I have treasured, and it is a dent. Anyone who knows me can tell you I stand proud.”
Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) plans to return to the ring.
The 30-year-old will see a shoulder specialist but, according to his promoter, he doesn’t expect any long-term issues from that or other injuries he suffered in the fight. He reportedly also injured his jaw.
He said he, father/trainer Sean O’Hagan, manager Steve Wood and promoter Eddie Hearn will soon plan his comeback.
“I have a small, close-knit team around me and it will not be long before I am ready to start the climb back to the top of the featherweight division,” he said. “I may not have to prove myself to my fans, but I want to show them and my rivals that I still belong at the very highest level.
“Good luck to Mauricio Lara, who is a serious opponent for anybody. He is heavy-handed and holds power that will trouble any featherweight. Will we meet again in a boxing ring? Who knows. We only fought a couple of days ago. But if the chance comes, I will jump at it.
“It’s now about having a break after 15 months in the gym, recharging my batteries, letting the injuries heal and becoming a two-time world champion. I thank everyone again from the bottom of my heart and I can’t wait until we’re lifting the roof off Leeds Arena once more, singing ‘Marching On Together.’”
Good, bad, worse: Brian Castano arrives, Josh Warrington is stunned and Joseph Diaz Jr. screws up.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Brian Castano (left) looked like a threat to any 154-pounder in his victory over Patrick Teixeira. Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy Promotions
Jermell Charlo has a rival.
Brian Castano entered his title challenge against Patrick Teixeira with an excellent reputation. He had a fine amateur career, which included a victory over Errol Spence Jr. And he drew with Erislandy Lara in March 2019, a fight most observers thought he deserved to win.
The Argentine simply confirmed against Teixeira what we already thought: He’s a damn good fighter, perhaps the best from his country since Sergio Martinez was at his peak.
Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) isn’t unusually quick or athletic, although he’s solid in both departments. He isn’t a boxing wizard. And he doesn’t have tremendous power. He’s simply a good technician who uses relentless pressure and uncommon fitness to overwhelm his opponents.
That’s what happened to the capable Teixeira (31-2, 22 KOs) on the Joseph Diaz Jr.-Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov card Saturday at Fantasy Springs in Indio, Calif. The tall, lean Brazilian simply couldn’t keep Castano off him, which resulted in a one-sided fight.
The scores were 120-108 (a shutout), 119-109 and 117-111, which gave Castano the WBO 154-pound title and accurately reflected his dominance.
The victory sets up an intriguing possibility. Charlo owns the other three major junior middleweight titles, meaning a Charlo-Castano fight would produce an undisputed champion if it could be made.
I wouldn’t pick anyone in the division to beat Charlo, who seems to have a perfect blend of ability, power and fire. I’ll say this, though: He had better be ready to go to hell and back to win that fight.
Let’s hope it happens.
***
BAD
Mauricio Lara (right) went from unknown to contender at Josh Warrington’s expense. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Boxing
Of course, this is only bad for Josh Warrington.
The Englishman entered his fight with unknown Mauricio Lara as one of the hottest little fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over Lee Selby, Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and Sofiane Takoucht.
He gave up his IBF featherweight title rather than be forced by the sanctioning body to fight Galahad a second time but that didn’t matter much. He was still a top, unbeaten 126-pounder with limitless possibilities.
Then Lara changed everything Saturday at SSE Arena in London.
The Mexican, who had never fought outside Latin America, brought heavy hands with him on his long trip to the United Kingdom. The 22-year-old put Warrington down with a left hook in Round 4 and delivered a horrible beating the rest of the round.
Referee Howard Foster allowed Warrington to continue even though he was out on his feet, a decision that received immediate – and arguably justified – criticism.
Warrington fought bravely in Rounds 5 through 8 but the end came in Round 9, the result of another left hook that knocked a beaten Warrington flat on his back and this time prompted Foster to save him from further punishment.
Just like that, Warrington went from one of top fighters in the U.K. to one with a cloudy future. He took a particularly brutal beating, one from which it will be difficult to bounce back and regain his previous status.
Meanwhile, Lara is no longer an unknown. He has become overnight a major player in the featherweight division and a legitimate threat to anyone.
***
WORSE
Joseph Diaz Jr. (left) salvaged a disastrous week by drawing with Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov. Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy Promotions
Joseph Diaz Jr. is human, as he pointed out after his draw with Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov on Saturday at Fantasy Springs. And humans make mistakes.
Diaz made a big one leading up the fight. He weighed in Friday 3.6 pounds over the junior lightweight limit, which cost him his precious world title and reportedly 20% of his purse ($100,000 of $500,000).
Diaz apologized but also blamed a one-year layoff and spartan training facilities inside the bubble at Fantasy Springs, arguments that have minimal legitimacy.
Here’s the thing: Diaz had months to prepare for the fight. To blame his inability to make weight on conditions at his hotel in the final week is difficult to swallow. He’s a professional boxer. It’s his responsibility to make the weight stipulated on the contract he signed.
And this isn’t the first time he missed weight. He came in a half pound over against then-featherweight beltholder Jesus Rojas in 2018, which cost Diaz a chance to fight for a major title in that fight.
There are no excuses. Diaz would’ve been wise to simply acknowledge his mistake in the latest case without trying to explain it, which only made him look worse than he already did.
Diaz has other problems. He recently changed management companies, which has evolved into a legal battle. He reportedly was arrested on suspicion on drunken driving in July, allegedly his second such offense. And, on a positive note, he has a newborn son.
He doesn’t need weight issues – particularly ones that cost him so much money — on top of everything else. Let’s hope he has finally learned his lesson.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Richard Commey has answered some questions about his psyche following his brutal knockout loss to Teofimo Lopez in December 2019. He attacked Jackson Marinez as if the setback never happened, scoring an impressive sixth-round knockout Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The Ghanaian isn’t a great boxer but he reminded us of his prodigious power. Plus, he’s fun to watch. … Heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson outdid himself on the Commey-Marinez card. The 21-year-old behemoth landed one of the biggest punches you’ll ever see, a left hook that lifted 276-pound Kingsley Ibeh off his feet and sent him crashing to the canvas for a sixth-round knockout. Breathtaking. Anderson is the most exciting heavyweight prospect in the world. … Ronny Rios seemed to be finished as an elite fighter after losing two of three fights in 2017 and 2018. However, after taking a year off, the one-time amateur star seems to have returned to form at junior featherweight. He dominated veteran Oscar Negrete on the Diaz-Rakhimov card, winning by a near-shutout decision. He’s back in the thick of title picture. … Shane Mosley Jr. will always be compared to his father, which is a no-win situation for him. However, it should be noted that Junior has evolved into a pretty good fighter. He stopped durable Cristian Olivas in five rounds on the Diaz-Rakhimov card, his fourth consecutive victory and another step toward a title shot. Dad must be proud.
Good, bad, worse: Brian Castano arrives, Josh Warrington is stunned and Joseph Diaz Jr. screws up.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Brian Castano (left) looked like a threat to any 154-pounder in his victory over Patrick Teixeira. Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy Promotions
Jermell Charlo has a rival.
Brian Castano entered his title challenge against Patrick Teixeira with an excellent reputation. He had a fine amateur career, which included a victory over Errol Spence Jr. And he drew with Erislandy Lara in March 2019, a fight most observers thought he deserved to win.
The Argentine simply confirmed against Teixeira what we already thought: He’s a damn good fighter, perhaps the best from his country since Sergio Martinez was at his peak.
Castano (17-0-1, 12 KOs) isn’t unusually quick or athletic, although he’s solid in both departments. He isn’t a boxing wizard. And he doesn’t have tremendous power. He’s simply a good technician who uses relentless pressure and uncommon fitness to overwhelm his opponents.
That’s what happened to the capable Teixeira (31-2, 22 KOs) on the Joseph Diaz Jr.-Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov card Saturday at Fantasy Springs in Indio, Calif. The tall, lean Brazilian simply couldn’t keep Castano off him, which resulted in a one-sided fight.
The scores were 120-108 (a shutout), 119-109 and 117-111, which gave Castano the WBO 154-pound title and accurately reflected his dominance.
The victory sets up an intriguing possibility. Charlo owns the other three major junior middleweight titles, meaning a Charlo-Castano fight would produce an undisputed champion if it could be made.
I wouldn’t pick anyone in the division to beat Charlo, who seems to have a perfect blend of ability, power and fire. I’ll say this, though: He had better be ready to go to hell and back to win that fight.
Let’s hope it happens.
***
BAD
Mauricio Lara (right) went from unknown to contender at Josh Warrington’s expense. Dave Thompson / Matchroom Boxing
Of course, this is only bad for Josh Warrington.
The Englishman entered his fight with unknown Mauricio Lara as one of the hottest little fighters in the world, with consecutive victories over Lee Selby, Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and Sofiane Takoucht.
He gave up his IBF featherweight title rather than be forced by the sanctioning body to fight Galahad a second time but that didn’t matter much. He was still a top, unbeaten 126-pounder with limitless possibilities.
Then Lara changed everything Saturday at SSE Arena in London.
The Mexican, who had never fought outside Latin America, brought heavy hands with him on his long trip to the United Kingdom. The 22-year-old put Warrington down with a left hook in Round 4 and delivered a horrible beating the rest of the round.
Referee Howard Foster allowed Warrington to continue even though he was out on his feet, a decision that received immediate – and arguably justified – criticism.
Warrington fought bravely in Rounds 5 through 8 but the end came in Round 9, the result of another left hook that knocked a beaten Warrington flat on his back and this time prompted Foster to save him from further punishment.
Just like that, Warrington went from one of top fighters in the U.K. to one with a cloudy future. He took a particularly brutal beating, one from which it will be difficult to bounce back and regain his previous status.
Meanwhile, Lara is no longer an unknown. He has become overnight a major player in the featherweight division and a legitimate threat to anyone.
***
WORSE
Joseph Diaz Jr. (left) salvaged a disastrous week by drawing with Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov. Tom Hogan / Hoganphotos-Golden Boy Promotions
Joseph Diaz Jr. is human, as he pointed out after his draw with Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov on Saturday at Fantasy Springs. And humans make mistakes.
Diaz made a big one leading up the fight. He weighed in Friday 3.6 pounds over the junior lightweight limit, which cost him his precious world title and reportedly 20% of his purse ($100,000 of $500,000).
Diaz apologized but also blamed a one-year layoff and spartan training facilities inside the bubble at Fantasy Springs, arguments that have minimal legitimacy.
Here’s the thing: Diaz had months to prepare for the fight. To blame his inability to make weight on conditions at his hotel in the final week is difficult to swallow. He’s a professional boxer. It’s his responsibility to make the weight stipulated on the contract he signed.
And this isn’t the first time he missed weight. He came in a half pound over against then-featherweight beltholder Jesus Rojas in 2018, which cost Diaz a chance to fight for a major title in that fight.
There are no excuses. Diaz would’ve been wise to simply acknowledge his mistake in the latest case without trying to explain it, which only made him look worse than he already did.
Diaz has other problems. He recently changed management companies, which has evolved into a legal battle. He reportedly was arrested on suspicion on drunken driving in July, allegedly his second such offense. And, on a positive note, he has a newborn son.
He doesn’t need weight issues – particularly ones that cost him so much money — on top of everything else. Let’s hope he has finally learned his lesson.
***
RABBIT PUNCHES
Richard Commey has answered some questions about his psyche following his brutal knockout loss to Teofimo Lopez in December 2019. He attacked Jackson Marinez as if the setback never happened, scoring an impressive sixth-round knockout Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The Ghanaian isn’t a great boxer but he reminded us of his prodigious power. Plus, he’s fun to watch. … Heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson outdid himself on the Commey-Marinez card. The 21-year-old behemoth landed one of the biggest punches you’ll ever see, a left hook that lifted 276-pound Kingsley Ibeh off his feet and sent him crashing to the canvas for a sixth-round knockout. Breathtaking. Anderson is the most exciting heavyweight prospect in the world. … Ronny Rios seemed to be finished as an elite fighter after losing two of three fights in 2017 and 2018. However, after taking a year off, the one-time amateur star seems to have returned to form at junior featherweight. He dominated veteran Oscar Negrete on the Diaz-Rakhimov card, winning by a near-shutout decision. He’s back in the thick of title picture. … Shane Mosley Jr. will always be compared to his father, which is a no-win situation for him. However, it should be noted that Junior has evolved into a pretty good fighter. He stopped durable Cristian Olivas in five rounds on the Diaz-Rakhimov card, his fourth consecutive victory and another step toward a title shot. Dad must be proud.
Mauricio Lara stuned Josh Warrington and the boxing world by scoring a ninth-round TKO Saturday in London.
The featherweight division looks considerably different after Saturday night.
Mauricio Lara wasn’t given much of a chance to beat former featherweight titleholder Josh Warrington at SSE Arena in London in part because most people had no idea how good the 22-year-old Mexican is.
Now we know.
Lara put Warrington down twice and stopped him 54 seconds into Round 9 of a scheduled 10-round bout, which instantly makes Lara a player at 126 pounds and sends the previously unbeaten Warrington back to the drawing board.
The only negative for Lara (22-2, 15 KOs) was that he didn’t win a title because Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) gave up his belt. He can live with that.
“I go away with a great flavor in my mouth,” Lara said. “It’s great for Mexico. There’s a tinge of sadness that I wasn’t able to get a belt but I might get that in the future.”
Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) was one of the hottest in the world, with consecutive victories over Lee Selby, Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and, most recently, Sofiane Takoucht. He gave up the IBF belt rather than fight Galahad again as ordered by the sanctioning body but remained a top featherweight.
The Leeds fighter hadn’t been in ring since the Takoucht fight, in October 2019 — 16 months ago — but most believed he would cruise on Saturday night. He was about a 13-1 favorite.
Lara? He had a nice record and word out of Mexico was that he had power but he had never fought outside Latin America and had never faced anyone near Warrington’s level, although he was somehow ranked No. 8 by the IBF.
Well, it didn’t take long for the underdog to demonstrate that he was a threat to Warrington. The two engaged in several spirited, give-and-take rounds to open the fight. Spectators would’ve loved the action had there been any in the arena, which was empty because of COVID-19.
Warrington might’ve been somewhat busier and more accurate with his punches than Lara but the first three rounds were close.
Then came a turning point. Lara put Warrington down with a left hook about 35 seconds into Round 4, hurting him badly in the process. The glassy-eyed Englishman got to his feet only to take a brutal beating for the remainder of the round.
Lara suggested afterward that he held back just a bit.
“We worked on going round by round,” Lara said. “That was our plan. I didn’t want to tire myself out. I wanted to take it round by round. He was No. 1 in the world for a reason.”
Still, Lara landed so many punishing blows during that short period that referee Howard Foster surely will be criticized by some for allowing the fight to continue.
However, not only did Warrington survive, he regained enough of his senses and strength in his legs to give a decent account of himself over the next several rounds. One could argue that he even won one or two rounds between the fifth and eighth.
Then came the end. Lara hurt Warrington with a left, followed with several more punches and then put the loser flat on his back with one more left hook in Round 9. Foster didn’t bother to count, instead waving off the fight.
Just like that, Lara became a major player in the division. And Warrington’s future is cloudy.
“That’s why it’s the best sport in the world,” said Eddie Hearn, Warrington’s promoter. “A young man 22 years of age from Mexico City comes in and no one gives him a chance. We knew he could fight. … We spoke to people in Mexico.
“[But] I didn’t think he would beat the No. 1-ranked featherweight in the world. And he did. You have to give him tremendous credit.”
In preliminary fights, Zelfa Barrett (25-1, 15 KOs) of England defeated veteran Kiko Martinez (41-10-2, 29 KOs) of Spain by a unanimous decision in a 12-round junior lightweight bout. The scores were 118-111, 118-111 and 116-113.
And Leigh Wood (24-2, 14 KOs) of England stopped countryman Reece Mould (13-1, 6 KOs) in the ninth round in a scheduled 12-round featherweight fight.
Mauricio Lara stuned Josh Warrington and the boxing world by scoring a ninth-round TKO Saturday in London.
The featherweight division looks considerably different after Saturday night.
Mauricio Lara wasn’t given much of a chance to beat former featherweight titleholder Josh Warrington at SSE Arena in London in part because most people had no idea how good the 22-year-old Mexican is.
Now we know.
Lara put Warrington down twice and stopped him 54 seconds into Round 9 of a scheduled 10-round bout, which instantly makes Lara a player at 126 pounds and sends the previously unbeaten Warrington back to the drawing board.
The only negative for Lara (22-2, 15 KOs) was that he didn’t win a title because Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) gave up his belt. He can live with that.
“I go away with a great flavor in my mouth,” Lara said. “It’s great for Mexico. There’s a tinge of sadness that I wasn’t able to get a belt but I might get that in the future.”
Warrington (30-1, 7 KOs) was one of the hottest in the world, with consecutive victories over Lee Selby, Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and, most recently, Sofiane Takoucht. He gave up the IBF belt rather than fight Galahad again as ordered by the sanctioning body but remained a top featherweight.
The Leeds fighter hadn’t been in ring since the Takoucht fight, in October 2019 — 16 months ago — but most believed he would cruise on Saturday night. He was about a 13-1 favorite.
Lara? He had a nice record and word out of Mexico was that he had power but he had never fought outside Latin America and had never faced anyone near Warrington’s level, although he was somehow ranked No. 8 by the IBF.
Well, it didn’t take long for the underdog to demonstrate that he was a threat to Warrington. The two engaged in several spirited, give-and-take rounds to open the fight. Spectators would’ve loved the action had there been any in the arena, which was empty because of COVID-19.
Warrington might’ve been somewhat busier and more accurate with his punches than Lara but the first three rounds were close.
Then came a turning point. Lara put Warrington down with a left hook about 35 seconds into Round 4, hurting him badly in the process. The glassy-eyed Englishman got to his feet only to take a brutal beating for the remainder of the round.
Lara suggested afterward that he held back just a bit.
“We worked on going round by round,” Lara said. “That was our plan. I didn’t want to tire myself out. I wanted to take it round by round. He was No. 1 in the world for a reason.”
Still, Lara landed so many punishing blows during that short period that referee Howard Foster surely will be criticized by some for allowing the fight to continue.
However, not only did Warrington survive, he regained enough of his senses and strength in his legs to give a decent account of himself over the next several rounds. One could argue that he even won one or two rounds between the fifth and eighth.
Then came the end. Lara hurt Warrington with a left, followed with several more punches and then put the loser flat on his back with one more left hook in Round 9. Foster didn’t bother to count, instead waving off the fight.
Just like that, Lara became a major player in the division. And Warrington’s future is cloudy.
“That’s why it’s the best sport in the world,” said Eddie Hearn, Warrington’s promoter. “A young man 22 years of age from Mexico City comes in and no one gives him a chance. We knew he could fight. … We spoke to people in Mexico.
“[But] I didn’t think he would beat the No. 1-ranked featherweight in the world. And he did. You have to give him tremendous credit.”
In preliminary fights, Zelfa Barrett (25-1, 15 KOs) of England defeated veteran Kiko Martinez (41-10-2, 29 KOs) of Spain by a unanimous decision in a 12-round junior lightweight bout. The scores were 118-111, 118-111 and 116-113.
And Leigh Wood (24-2, 14 KOs) of England stopped countryman Reece Mould (13-1, 6 KOs) in the ninth round in a scheduled 12-round featherweight fight.
Josh Warrington and Mauricio Lara made weight for fight Saturday in London.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Josh Warrington and Mauricio Lara made weight for their featherweight fight Saturday at the SSE Arena in London, airing live on Sky Sports in the U.K. and DAZN elsewhere.
Warrington (30-0, 7 KOs) weighed 125.5 pounds, a half pound heavier than Lara (21-2, 14 KOs). The division limit is 126.
There was a lot of mutual respect between the two as they went face to face after the weigh-in, exchanging a fist bump before they went back to their rooms.
Warrington recently vacated his IBF title over frustrations with his attempts to set up bouts with fellow champions in the division. Now he starts over against a relative unknown Mexican who has never fought outside Latin America.
In chief support, Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) steps up against Kiko Martinez (41-9-2, 29 KOs) in a junior lightweight bout. The Brit weighed 128.75, a half pound more than Martinez.
Also, featherweight Reece Mould (13-0, 6 KOs) hit the scales at 125.75 for his fight against Leigh Wood (23-2, 13 KOs), who weighed 125.25.
Josh Warrington and Mauricio Lara made weight for fight Saturday in London.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Josh Warrington and Mauricio Lara made weight for their featherweight fight Saturday at the SSE Arena in London, airing live on Sky Sports in the U.K. and DAZN elsewhere.
Warrington (30-0, 7 KOs) weighed 125.5 pounds, a half pound heavier than Lara (21-2, 14 KOs). The division limit is 126.
There was a lot of mutual respect between the two as they went face to face after the weigh-in, exchanging a fist bump before they went back to their rooms.
Warrington recently vacated his IBF title over frustrations with his attempts to set up bouts with fellow champions in the division. Now he starts over against a relative unknown Mexican who has never fought outside Latin America.
In chief support, Zelfa Barrett (23-1, 14 KOs) steps up against Kiko Martinez (41-9-2, 29 KOs) in a junior lightweight bout. The Brit weighed 128.75, a half pound more than Martinez.
Also, featherweight Reece Mould (13-0, 6 KOs) hit the scales at 125.75 for his fight against Leigh Wood (23-2, 13 KOs), who weighed 125.25.
Josh Warrington admitted that the pressure is on him in his fight with Mauricio Lara.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on DAZN.com.
***
Josh Warrington expected to be fighting in a title-unification bout early this year. Instead, the now-featherweight contender must get past Mexican Mauricio Lara before he can even think about returning to the world championship scene.
Warrington (30-0, 7 KOs) had been set to put his IBF title up against the WBA belt of Can Xu on Feb. 13 at Wembley Arena in London only for that matchup to fall through. Then, when the IBF refused to sanction the re-arranged date of April 24, the Leeds fighter opted to hand the title back to the governing body.
His new opponent is a relative unknown 22-year-old who is ranked No. 8 by the IBF. The native of Mexico City has never fought outside Latin America.
Warrington last fought in October 2019, when he stopped Sofiane Takoucht in two rounds in his final title defense.
“It’s a massive moment for me, but 15 months is a very long time for any athlete to be out of action,” Warrington said at the pre-fight press conference. “My mugshot’s all over this room and all over the hotel. There’s a lot of pressure on me but I’ve matured.
“I’ve got a potential banana skin in front of me in Mauricio Lara but I was already prepared for war. I feel that mark on the top of my head. This man here has no pressure, I’m a big fan of Mexican boxers because they wear their hearts on their sleeves.
“But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t want to fight any tin cans. I have to strike while the iron’s hot. I can’t afford to be spending the next two years fighting to get back to where I am now.
“It’s all glamour to say I’m the number one in the world at this weight, but it’s got to be proven in the ring as well. I’ve beaten the big names but I’m still not satisfied, I’m still not full in the belly.
“I’ve come through the long, long road from the early days. I don’t want to bore everyone to death with the story. It’s hard work but I’ve taken each stage as it has come.
“I’m 10 times the fighter I was when I won the British title, but it’s only because of tough fights like this. I want no soft touches. Every fight going forward makes my legacy.”
