BoxRec

Josh Warrington vs Xu Can title fight being finalised for February — Sources

Sources tell The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger that Josh Warrington and Xu Can are finalising a deal for a featherweight title fight in early February in the UK. An announcement is expected in the coming days. The fight has been in the works since the start of the year, only to be delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be streamed worldwide on DAZN and shown live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. Warrington has held the IBF featherweight title since 2018, which he won by beating Lee Selby in a split decision. He has successfully defended the belt in fights against Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and Sofiane Takoucht.

How did we get here?

This showdown of top five featherweights was in the works early in 2020 before the pandemic struck, placing plans on hold.

With activity picking up in the UK the fight is back on, and it’s a natural fight: Warrington is widely considered the best 126-pounder in the world, while Can has established himself as the best Chinese fighter on the planet.

It figures to be an excellent action fight between two guys who love to slug.

What titles is it for?

Warrington holds the IBF title, while Can is the WBA’s “regular” belt holder at featherweight.

Usually, I wouldn’t recognise the secondary title, but an exception is made here considering the man who holds status as the “super” champion.

That’s Leo Santa Cruz, whose last two fights came one weight class above; he appears to be finished with 126 pounds. For that reason, this should be considered a featherweight title unification bout, especially as The Ring Magazine belt could also be on the line.

Is this a good test for Warrington?

Absolutely. Can is recognised by The Ring as the No. 3 featherweight in the world, and since two defeats early in his career, he’s flourished with an all-action style under the Golden Boy Promotions banner.

Warrington appeared on a collision course with Shakur Stevenson before fleeing allegedly for Eddie Hearn.

Now, a year after singing with Matchroom Boxing, he’s set for his debut. A victory should set Warrington up for a major fight later in 2021.

A good thing Warrington has his own Gym.

He’s stayed in shape all year..

Ruthless-RKO wrote: ↑24 Dec 2020, 05:31 Absolutely. Can is recognised by The Ring as the No. 3 featherweight in the world, and since two defeats early in his career, he’s flourished with an all-action style under the Golden Boy Promotions banner.

Xu has fought what, twice, under Golden Boy? Completely ignoring the work of his Chinese team, under Liu Gang, that developed him, matched him, got him into the the rankings...

surprised it's gotten this far without one of the obligatory weird posts in a warrington thread from the ingle gym bois

Eddie should put it on in China with the big heavy as chief support.

Coco wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:17 Eddie should put it on in China with the big heavy as chief support.

Eddie’s forgotten about Galahad altogether since he signed Josh! The Wincobank lads on here are fuming.

The trouble is Mickey, no one wants to see Warrington/Galahd 2

Twinkle Toes wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:41 The trouble is Mickey, no one wants to see Warrington/Galahd 2

I know. I don’t.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:19

Coco wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:17 Eddie should put it on in China with the big heavy as chief support.

Eddie’s forgotten about Galahad altogether since he signed Josh! The Wincobank lads on here are fuming.

Cause hearn looks at the bigger picture. Warrington sells out arenas and has an exciting style. Kid is completely the opposite. If Warrington wins he will move up and vacate imo. Then hearn will get kid a vacant title shot probably against jazza Dickens on a undercard somewhere.

Kid Galahad CAN be in exciting fights - needs the right opponent, or maybe a "last chance saloon" fight where he HAS to put it all the line.

skanksta wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 09:07 Kid Galahad CAN be in exciting fights - needs the right opponent, or maybe a "last chance saloon" fight where he HAS to put it all the line.

Warrington was the right opponent He doesnt grab and hold he engages. Look at his frampton and Selby fights. Kid was the reason the fight was awful. If he let his hands go he cud b a world champion now.

maley1984 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 09:26

skanksta wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 09:07 Kid Galahad CAN be in exciting fights - needs the right opponent, or maybe a "last chance saloon" fight where he HAS to put it all the line.

Warrington was the right opponent He doesnt grab and hold he engages. Look at his frampton and Selby fights. Kid was the reason the fight was awful. If he let his hands go he cud b a world champion now.

yeah agree - he's a frustrating talent.

I'm hoping he could be a bit like Johnny "The Entertainer" Nelson.
Where he's able to put it all together in the end..

maley1984 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:42

mickey1975 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:19

Coco wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:17 Eddie should put it on in China with the big heavy as chief support.

Eddie’s forgotten about Galahad altogether since he signed Josh! The Wincobank lads on here are fuming.

Cause hearn looks at the bigger picture. Warrington sells out arenas and has an exciting style. Kid is completely the opposite. If Warrington wins he will move up and vacate imo. Then hearn will get kid a vacant title shot probably against jazza Dickens on a undercard somewhere.

He was threatening legal action to enforce it before he signed Josh!

mickey1975 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 09:46

maley1984 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:42

mickey1975 wrote: ↑28 Dec 2020, 08:19
Eddie’s forgotten about Galahad altogether since he signed Josh! The Wincobank lads on here are fuming.

Cause hearn looks at the bigger picture. Warrington sells out arenas and has an exciting style. Kid is completely the opposite. If Warrington wins he will move up and vacate imo. Then hearn will get kid a vacant title shot probably against jazza Dickens on a undercard somewhere.

He was threatening legal action to enforce it before he signed Josh!

Exactly b4. Now who's his main priority.(cash cow) Not heard hearn mention kid at all of late. In this lock down kid sud of been bashing hearn and warrington on twitter for a rematch but nothing. Kid will b back on the undercards waiting for a vacant title shot if warrington wins a unification

Xu Can Getting Impatient, Wants Josh Warrington Sooner Than Later

Xu Can, 26-years-old, is currently the only world champion from China.

The boxer from the Fuzhou, Jiangxi province, has been out of the ring since retaining the WBA's "regular" featherweight championship by winning a unanimous decision over Manny Robles in November 2019.

Xu (18-2, 3 KOs) has been waiting for a long time to get in the ring with International Boxing Federation (IBF) featherweight champion Josh Warrington (30-0, 7 KOs).

China Daily reports that a deal was close to being finalized for a February date in Warrington's hometown of Leeds.

Whether or not that fight will proceed as scheduled is up for debate, as the British Boxing Board of Control announced on Sunday that all events scheduled for January would be off due to rising cases of a COVID-19 variant in the UK.

A decision will be made in the coming weeks if events can go forward in the UK on February dates.

"I've been confused. I don't know how long to wait, because I've been waiting from the beginning of 2020 until now," Xu said to China News.

"Agents, promoters, even coaches, sometimes tell me there might be a fight, and to start preparing. After preparing, they suddenly said it cannot be done and I have to take a break.

"I'm tired of waiting; I want to be a fighting champion. Many professional fighters I know have retired and become coaches because there is really no competition during these times. Some even changed careers and got other jobs. But I have to fight. It's my job. After all, I have waited for a year for the chance to face Warrington. My next goal is a unification war."

The 30-year-old Warrington has held the IBF title since 2018, when he beat Lee Selby. He has successfully defended the belt three times.

He's been out of the ring since October of 2019, when he knocked out Sofiane Takoucht in two rounds.

Xu Can('t) be serious.. We're in the middle of a pandemic!!

Take it over to China...they have fans there

Put it at the birds nest with Joshua vs Zhang, that's Eddie's big plan right...

Zhang that Chinese mega star who can't fill out a school gym...

There isnt much of a prob with Covid in China, do it there.

Boxing Prospect wrote: ↑04 Jan 2021, 08:02 Take it over to China...they have fans there

Put it at the birds nest with Joshua vs Zhang, that's Eddie's big plan right...

Zhang that Chinese mega star who can't fill out a school gym...

Warrington would only go to China if he can take Michael Alexander and Steve Gray as judges.

mate Barry lost, get over it please it's undignified

Counter-puncher wrote: ↑04 Jan 2021, 08:55 mate Barry lost, get over it please it's undignified

That was over 18 months ago pal, Warrington hasn't fought anyone in the world top 200 since. The IBF won't put up with it forever.

Pugilist-specialist wrote: ↑04 Jan 2021, 09:05

Counter-puncher wrote: ↑04 Jan 2021, 08:55 mate Barry lost, get over it please it's undignified

That was over 18 months ago pal, Warrington hasn't fought anyone in the world top 200 since. The IBF won't put up with it forever.

Hello Bent-nose