Kiko Martinez vs. Josh Warrington II | DAZN - 26 March 2022

[mickey1975]

What's Barry going to do?
There is no queue of belt holders queuing up to defend against him??

I don't feel great writing this, but I think he's blown his shot.

[JamesPhilips]

What's Barry going to do?
There is no queue of belt holders queuing up to defend against him??

I don't feel great writing this, but I think he's blown his shot.

Barry’s main issue is that he doesn’t shift tickets. Plus he’s not that good

[597118]

He's never struck me as someone who's shy of a challenge.

He gave up his title to avoid the Galahad rematch

[mickey1975]

He's never struck me as someone who's shy of a challenge.

He gave up his title to avoid the Galahad rematch

He's already beaten him three times. I think he was getting bored of it.

[THEBUTCH]

I'm up for this fight

The first Warrington v Martinez fight was a decent tussle. I had no problem with the result, but Kiko pushed Josh all the way.

Warrington claimed hand damage during their fight and has improved since.

If Josh can regain his confidence levels pre-Lara then I think we're in for a very competitive fight. Kiko is clearly going to be on a crest of wave having just obliterated Kid drugcheat.

[597118]

He's already beaten him three times. I think he was getting bored of it.

Is that a valid reason for giving up a world title?

[Steveh583]

He's already beaten him three times. I think he was getting bored of it.

Is that a valid reason for giving up a world title?

He had a lot of lucrative opportunities on the table didn’t he. Not defending the decision mind

[Coco]

Why hasn't Barry taken the rematch?

[maley1984]

Why hasn't Barry taken the rematch?

Apparently his now struggling at the weight and will move up

[Autobarn]

Not enjoyed Warrington’s form or attitude of recent. What a wasted opportunity that last fight was.

Feels like they’re going for an easier opportunity. But Kiko has reminded us how dangerous he is with these surprises every couple of years.

[JamesPhilips]

Why hasn't Barry taken the rematch?

Apparently his now struggling at the weight and will move up

Barry's finished. He has no fans. Sells no tickets. No one cares about him. I mean casual wise

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why hasn't Barry taken the rematch?

Apparently his now struggling at the weight and will move up

Barry's finished. He has no fans. Sells no tickets. No one cares about him. I mean casual wise

It was always the case.

The whole Warrington fight was just mostly footy/rugby fan casuals and the whole Yorkshire rivalry thing.

[THEBUTCH]

Galahad's a proven drug cheat, is shit to watch, arrogant and won't be missed

[mickey1975]

Apparently his now struggling at the weight and will move up

Barry's finished. He has no fans. Sells no tickets. No one cares about him. I mean casual wise

It was always the case.

The whole Warrington fight was just mostly footy/rugby fan casuals and the whole Yorkshire rivalry thing.

Barry didn't sell tickets for that fight, either. Sheffield football fans aren't interested in him. And it's not really a rugby city

[Autobarn]

Warrington v Martinez was a really good fight. Also one of the best performances of Kiko’s career. Kiko pushed him very close, just before Warrington reached his prime, and perhaps didn’t receive enough credit. Now Josh has potentially gone off the boil, could Martinez be finding some good fortune in getting him at the right time?

[Pugilist-specialist]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Leeds Warrior Josh Warrington on why world title destiny is back in his hands

Martinez’s victory over Galahad, as well as Warrington’s bouts with Lara, means the Leeds Warrior will not underestimate the Spaniard when they do battle at the Leeds Arena on March 26.

But, of his hopes of becoming a unified champion, Warrington said: “It disappeared from me when I got chinned by Lara. It feels now like destiny has come back into my hands. It is up to me to make it happen.

“I have got to start by beating Kiko Martinez.

“After, it will be interesting to fight Emmanuel Navarrete (WBO champion) or Santa Cruz (WBA super champion) if they are still about.

“You have (WBA regular champion) Leigh Wood and Mick Conlan fighting over here shortly. There are options all over.

“Maybe some of those opponents didn’t fancy the fight with me before but now they might think I can be beat, so they might fancy their chances.”

Warrington and Martinez have met before.

“It is funny how this sport works. I boxed Kiko five years ago and at the time people said he was finished, he was past it,” said Warrington, who won by a majority decision to claim the WBC international title at the Leeds Arena in May, 2017.

“But look at what he has gone on to do since. I gave up that belt and a year later I have a chance to win it back.”

Of his previous fight with Martinez, he continued: “It was a tough fight. A few things played into that; I had just left Matchroom and signed with allegedly, I had just come back from 12 months out and then I damaged my hand in the third round.

“I felt comfortable until that third round but from then it was an uphill struggle. I had done enough to win but I knew I had been in a tough fight by the time it had finished.”

Martinez will turn 36 on March 7 and has been involved in 55 contests during a career that has seen him become a world champion at two different weights. Warrington warned: “He is far from finished, he is a dangerous guy. He took the opportunity (against Galahad) and he took it well.”

Although his immediate focus is to become a world champion again, Warrington admits that the possibility of a rematch with Lara is never off the table for him.

Lara is the only man Warrington has yet to beat during a 32-fight professional career and that is something that slightly irritates him.

“It is never closed for me,” he admitted.

“My manager and Eddie Hearn have told me to let it go, that I have already put it to bed by getting straight back into a rematch.

“For me, on my record I still want to see a ‘W’ against his name. I want to have beaten every man I have been in there with.

“Lara is the only one who has put a loss there. It is just one for my record. I just don’t feel a Josh Warrington who is switched on gets beat by that guy.

“I want to put that one to bed but we will see what happens.”

[margaret thatcher]

would be funny if after all the josh-kid bitching over the years old 9 lives kiko ends up beating both

[Kilburn]

Hang on what happened to the decider with Lara?

Surely that's the fight everyone wanted to see.

[margaret thatcher]

lara for no belt, or kiko for a belt

one is much better risk/reward than the other for team josh

[Ruthless-RKO]

lara for no belt, or kiko for a belt

one is much better risk/reward than the other for team josh

One of them he beat the other KO’d him

[margaret thatcher]

ya for josh it's a no brainer to take the kiko fight

and tbf, it's not a bad fight at all, not like he's taking on some bum or sam vargas style hopeless punch bag instead

[Kilburn]

Personally I don't think Kiko's surprise underdog win over Galahad makes this Warrington fight remotely interesting.

Lara was the real fight. Shame.

[margaret thatcher]

keeks of course also ran josh super close in a very fun fight before, i dont mind it although lara would be more interesting

[maverick23]

keeks of course also ran josh super close in a very fun fight before, i dont mind it although lara would be more interesting

I would have thought Lara hasn’t recovered from his cut yet though?