Josh Warrington (30-1-1) will get a chance to regain his IBF featherweight title on March 26, taking on champion Kiko Martinez.
Martinez stunned the boxing world last November knocking out former champion Kid Galahad in emphatic fashion live on DAZN, allowing him to write Spanish boxing history in becoming a two-weight world champion.
Warrington has struggled to get past heavy-handed Mexican Mauricio Lara in his last two fights (losing one, with the rematch ending in a technical draw) so can be considered fortunate to have been offered this chance at regaining glory.
Kiko Martinez is 35 and reaching the end of a fantastic career.
He was a huge underdog at 8/1 with Paddy Power to beat Galahad last year and will be looking to deliver a similar upset in the UK as he takes on the “Leeds Warrior”.
“It wasn’t a shock to me,” Martinez told Freebets.com following the victory. “I never considered losing this fight once — it’s not how I’ve ever thought. Sure, I thought it might be a little later in the fight that I got the knockout, but I was always confident I could stop him.
“People know about my right hook and how dangerous that is. The right hook is my favourite and strongest punch, and it’s won me another fight.”
Warrington’s career has been questioned ever since he was crippled by a brutal knockout at the hands of Mauricio Lara in 2021.
At 31, Warrington is convinced he still have what it takes to become a champion at featherweight again and will likely be pleased to avoid the trilogy with his Mexican rival.
An official announcement of March’s fight will be expected in the next couple of days, with a venue confirmed.
