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Josh ‘The Leeds Warrior’ Warrington 31-1-1 (8) became a two-time featherweight world champion when he defeated IBF champion Kiko ‘La Sensacion’ Martinez 43-11-2 (30) by seventh-round knockout at First Direct Arena in Leeds, England on Saturday night.
The victory didn’t come without a cost, with Warrington being ferried to hospital after the bout with a suspected fractured jaw and broken hand.
The 31-year-old Warrington got off to a fast start, dropping the champion in the opening round with a booming right hand. He was the busier of the two through the middle rounds although the fight was somewhat marred by repeated clashes of heads.
Spaniard Martinez, 36, suffered a cut over his right eye as the younger, busier challenger walked him onto shots and busted him up. Despite not being a renowned puncher, it was obvious the hometown hero was doing more damage than Martinez.
The shellacking continued through the middle rounds as Martinez fatigued from the punishment he was shipping. Eventually referee Macrus McDonnell stepped in to wave of the contest at the 2:12 mark of the seventh round.
Martinez was making the first defence of the IBF title he won in an upset over Kid Galahad 28-2 (17) by sixth-round stoppage in Sheffield in November last year.
“It wasn’t just for me, it wasn’t just for my wife and my kids, it was for [my home support],” Warrington said.
“I know I’m not [promoter] Eddie Hearn’s favorite cup of tea, but when I’m on it and [these fans come] out, he knows there’s nothing like it in the fucken world.”
Warrington is now looking ahead to potential unification bouts with WBA ‘regular’ titleholder Leigh Wood 26-2 (16), WBC boss Mark Magsayo 24-0 (16) and WBO kingpin Emanuel Navarrete 35-1 (29).
Another enticing option could be a third fight with Mexican banger Mauricio Lara 24-2-1 (17) who stopped Warrington in nine rounds in February last year.
Their rematch seven months later ended prematurely with a second-round technical draw after Lara was cut over the left by an accidental head clash.
On the undercard Australian Ebanie ‘Blonde Bomber’ Bridges 8-1 (3) claimed the IBF bantamweight title from long-reigning champion Maria Cecilia Roman 16-6-1 of Argentina on points.
The scores were 97-93 twice and 100-91.
The 35-year-old Bridges, who competed in the latest series of SAS Australia, called out here critics after the fight.
“Firstly I just want to say, can I fucking fight or what?” Bridges said in her post-fight interview. “Fuck you guys who think I can’t fight. Because I can fucking fight, I can box, I can fight and I can look hot on the scales. So hopefully I proved a lot of doubter [wrong].
“As for my mate Shanny [former world champion and Bridges’ lone conqueror Shannon Courtenay] thanks for being ringside, I appreciate the respect. And you know what, she has a fight that she needs to have and I hope she wins because I’d love to have that fight again and I’d love it to be for a unification. Because if she doesn’t have a belt it’s pretty fucking shithouse for me.
“So I do hope she has a belt because I do want to make that fight for me and for everyone. It would be so much more fun with a belt, otherwise she’s going to have to wait a little bit.”
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