Josh Warrington is a former world champion, a huge ticket seller, and a fighter who has earned the rightful title as a legend in Leeds. Hence his ring nickname “The Leeds Warrior”.
Warrington appears set to return as the Twitter account International Boxing News, was the first to report Warrington is targeting a June 10th date, at Wembley’s OVO Arena, as part of a DAZN telecast. The opponent, a former Top Rank Inc. signed fighter, and two-time world title challenger in Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz, in a bout rumored for the featherweight division. According to BoxRec.com, Diaz has a bout scheduled for May 12th in Orlando, Florida, with the opponent listed as to be determined. So this is something to keep in mind with this rumor.
The last time Warrington fought at Wembley, he was brutally knocked out by Mauricio Lara. As Warrington, vacated his IBF featherweight world title prior to fighting Lara. Lara recently won his first world title when he knocked out Leigh Wood in February of this year. Since the loss to Lara, Warrington has gone 1-1-1, with a draw to Lara, a loss to current IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez, and a win over Kiko Martinez.
“I didn't realize how much the fact [that in the] Kiko Martinez [fight] broke my jaw,” Josh Warrington on his failed attempt to win the IBF featherweight world title for the second time in his career. “I thought I'd got over it but I was very anxious in the first four or five rounds.”
Diaz has lost two out of his last three fights as he was stopped by Emanuel Navarrete in the twelfth round of their title fight, for Navarrete’s WBO featherweight world title. Diaz would also drop a majority decision loss to Isaac Dogboe in November of 2021, before returning to the ring in May of 2022 to get a sixth-round stoppage win and back in the win column. The stay-busy bout was Diaz’s only fight in 2022.
“I always start fast and let the punches go,” said Warrington in reflection to TalkSport. “But for some reason, well, I know the reason because I [broke my] jaw I [was apprehensive].
