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Eddie Hearn has told talkSPORT that plans are being put in place for Josh Warrington to rematch Mauricio Lara on September 4 at Headingley Stadium.

Leeds’ former IBF champion suffered a shock defeat to the little-known Mexican back in February – the first loss of his career.

Warrington started poorly from round one and found himself being caught flush by his unorthodox opponent.

In round four, Lara made the breakthrough as a combination staggered Warrington before a giant left hook sent him crashing to the canvas.

The Leeds man just about rose to his feet and was allowed to continue by referee Howard Foster, despite looking near-certain to be stopped.

The end came in round nine as Lara hurt Warrington again and another huge left hook from the underdog flattened the favourite.

He was taken to hospital after the fight and it later emerged that he’d been given the all-clear from brain scans, but suffered a fractured jaw, a shoulder injury and a perforated eardrum.

In the aftermath, promoter Hearn confirmed that they intended to pursue an immediate rematch.

A month has now passed and plans are already advancing for the second fight.

On Thursday, Hearn told White and Jordan: “We are planning that fight for September 4 at Headingley – the famous stadium in Leeds.

“It’s gonna be a huge event.

“Talk about a dangerous fight for Josh Warrington, it was a brutal war the first one and he wants to go straight back into the rematch in front of his people in Leeds.

“We feel that by September we will be allowed 100 per cent capacity in an outdoor stadium so that’s the provisional date for that rematch.”

Which stadium?
Very good pub run round there The Otley Mile. No students either at that time and Headingley is massively student.

mickey1975 wrote: ↑18 Mar 2021, 12:52 Which stadium?
Very good pub run round there The Otley Mile. No students either at that time and Headingley is massively student.

I rememebr they used to say the rugby one, doubtt they'll use the cricket stadium..

Depends on fans i guess, if they have 100% capacity etc.

Shock as Josh Warrington fight won’t be staged at Emerald Headingley

Emerald Headingley has been rejected as the venue for Josh Warrington’s planned world title re-match with Mauricio Lara.

The YEP understands Leeds City Council have turned down the bid to host the fight at the iconic stadium on September 4.

Warrington – who suffered a surprise loss to little-known Mexican Lara at Wembley Arena in February – was looking forward to fighting in his home city again.

He initially won the IBF world featherweight title from Lee Selby at Leeds United’s Elland Road ground in 2018.

Warrington rematch to be held at Headingley.

After a first defeat of his career, the 30-year-old was seeking to reclaim the title at Headingley which can hold up to 25,000 boxing fans.

Last month, Warrington’s promoter Eddie Hearn said plans were at an advanced stage. When approached to comment, Leeds Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington said: “This has come as a shock and huge disappointment.

“So much work has gone on behind the scenes to bring the Warrington re-match back to Leeds and I suspect Eddie Hearn may now look to take the fight to another city.

“I know Josh will be very disappointed, too. I will now meet with colleagues to consider the full ramifications of this decision by Leeds City Council and consult with other stakeholders. Both Leeds Rhinos and Yorkshire County Cricket Club recently invested £46m in the redevelopment of Emerald Headingley and our business plan relies on attracting other major events.

“And, as other businesses in Headingley and the city are all trying to recover from the past 12 months, this decision does nothing to support them.”

Leeds City Council have also been approached for a comment.

So the Council won't approve this venue. Wasn't the Xunification fight supposed to be there on 24 April?....."Eddie Hearn says".....

world title rematch? um?

margaret thatcher wrote: ↑23 Apr 2021, 15:03 world title rematch? um?

Was Yorkshire paper.. casuals read that

I’m hoping this goes some way to preventing this ridiculous rematch from happening.

This is not a Rocky film, Warrington was completely outboxed and battered by Lara and putting him back in Is dangerous matchmaking IMO.

Im not even blaming Eddie, he’s doing his job in terms of the basics- it’s his close Team who I can’t believe have sanctioned it.

Fast Eddie is cut from the same salesman cloth as his old man. This is ultimately the same outfit who shoved Richard Williams back in with Sergio Martinez all those years ago

Surprised they are not chasing a rematch for Ted Cheeseman with Sergio Garcia

Of course, they are doing their best to ruin Cheeseman in other ways lining up potential car crashes one after the other

It's strange the council haven't approved it. Crap for fans, too, as it's a much better place for a drink than Beeston, where Elland Road is.

That's what I was thinking. Wonder what their reasoning is for declining the application. Very odd decision, borderline moronic.

As for the fight, Warrington has said it enough times that if he can't beat Lara then what's the point. A rematch seals it one way or the other. I don't think Warrington could fight any worse to be honest, and in a fight that he was struggling so badly with, he did inflict a fair amount of damage on Lara who was getting badly marked up himself.

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 06:38 Fast Eddie is cut from the same salesman cloth as his old man. This is ultimately the same outfit who shoved Richard Williams back in with Sergio Martinez all those years ago

Surprised they are not chasing a rematch for Ted Cheeseman with Sergio Garcia

Of course, they are doing their best to ruin Cheeseman in other ways lining up potential car crashes one after the other

What do you think Eddie should do? Put Josh in an 8 rounder against a non puncher?

Eddie works for Warrington. Warrington’s made it clear that he wants the rematch. I’m sure he wasn’t 100% focused (given he lost the unification, gave up the title and probably overlooked Lara) and he’s nowhere to go unless he goes for the rematch. Would he get well paid to fight one of the other champions coming off a stoppage loss? Probably not.

If Josh or his management team didn’t want it then it wouldn’t happen. He’s made it clear that he does so it’s up to Eddie to deliver it and promote it as well as he can.

What do you think they should do with Cheeseman? Stay clear of the 50/50 British fights?

No one's suggesting an 8 rounder, but Warrington got well beaten and "if" it goes the same way again a realist like Warrington might struggle to get back on track.

Are you telling me Fast Eddie has no other options open to him ?

Re: Cheeseman, there's taking competitive fights and then there's taking career shortening bouts one after the other.

The upside is they are both being well paid I should imagine, which is difficult to argue against, but career management taking the right fights at the right time is important too.

maverick23 wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:08 Eddie works for Warrington.

You've really fallen for Eddie haven't you.
All Warrington world title fights were with FW.
Went to Eddie as a world champ and gave his belt up.
Eddie has never delivered a world title fight for Josh Warrington

I agree. It's when Warrington moved to W@rren it all came good.

Whenever Fast Eddie has been at the wheel it was either painstakingly slow or the wheels came right off !

I'm not ruling Josh out in the rematch, but don't think jumping straight back in is the best move for him.

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:43 No one's suggesting an 8 rounder, but Warrington got well beaten and "if" it goes the same way again a realist like Warrington might struggle to get back on track.

Are you telling me Fast Eddie has no other options open to him ?

Re: Cheeseman, there's taking competitive fights and then there's taking career shortening bouts one after the other.

The upside is they are both being well paid I should imagine, which is difficult to argue against, but career management taking the right fights at the right time is important too.

Yeah - he didn’t recover from the first big shot that dropped him and was well beat. He’s unlikely to be able to get another world champ over for him given he’s no longer a champ/perceives number 1 in the division so what else could Josh do?

He’s openly said several times that he wants the Lara rematch. It’s up to Eddie to deliver that. If he does get beat again then he should consider his future in the sport because the reality is that if he can’t beat Lara then he’s very unlikely to beat any other of the top fighters in the division. If AJ had bypassed the Ruiz rematch then he’d always have had a bigger question mark around than he does now.

I’m sure Eddie does/would have other options but Josh has made it clear that he wants the rematch and it probably makes more financial sense than any other fight for him too.

Cheeseman has a style that will mean he always takes shots. I fully agree that he doesn’t have a style that will give him longevity in the game but they tried to step him up to European level and he was well beat. He could go down the intercontinental route but he’d likely get less money for those fights than for defending his British belt.

I wouldn’t begrudge him a soft one but we also complain about the uncompetitive fights so it’s a difficult thing to manage. If his trainer/manager or if he wants a soft one then I’m sure they can find one but I’d love to see him fight Fowler once he’s properly rested from his fight a few weeks back.

BigDoofus wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:47

maverick23 wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:08 Eddie works for Warrington.

You've really fallen for Eddie haven't you.
All Warrington world title fights were with FW.
Went to Eddie as a world champ and gave his belt up.
Eddie has never delivered a world title fight for Josh Warrington

I haven’t fallen for anyone.

Yep - FW delivered the world title fights. He did a good job for Josh but it’s interesting that as soon his contract finished he went back to Eddie.

I don’t think Eddie has done a good job for Josh so far but it’s been tricky given the pandemic and how many fans Josh usually brings to his fights.

Fair comments maverick23, but it does seem to fall to the same boxers to deliver the matches we want see and others go missing

THEBUTCH wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 09:54 Fair comments maverick23, but it does seem to fall to the same boxers to deliver the matches we want see and others go missing

Agreed.

maverick23 wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:08

What do you think Eddie should do? Put Josh in an 8 rounder against a non puncher?

He could have got him in a world title fight against his mandatory.

Pugilist-specialist wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 11:06

maverick23 wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:08

What do you think Eddie should do? Put Josh in an 8 rounder against a non puncher?

He could have got him in a world title fight against his mandatory.

That’s not what we were talking about though. We’re talking about what he’s going to do now.

And yes, of course he could have fought his mandatory but given it was a fight we’d seen before, and it was crap because of Kid’s tactics, I’m glad we didn’t.

Kamikaze mission for Warrington if it goes ahead

i think josh can beat him, it was a fight like aj-ruiz where he got hurt early and that impacted everything else that happened. he was basically fighting as a shell of himself


josh has more tools than lara and can win a rematch if his mental game is there

dr_devious wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 17:04 Kamikaze mission for Warrington if it goes ahead

He wants it. And we sure didn't see his best the first time around.
I like the "avenge a loss" mentality. It sucks seeing fighters slink away and try another avenue for a title.
We will know, and Josh will know, if his best is going to be good enough.
Of course it is going to be a hard watch if Josh gets badly outboxed again.

maverick23 wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 11:16

Pugilist-specialist wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 11:06

maverick23 wrote: ↑24 Apr 2021, 08:08

What do you think Eddie should do? Put Josh in an 8 rounder against a non puncher?

He could have got him in a world title fight against his mandatory.

That’s not what we were talking about though. We’re talking about what he’s going to do now.

And yes, of course he could have fought his mandatory but given it was a fight we’d seen before, and it was crap because of Kid’s tactics, I’m glad we didn’t.

Dress it up how you want but it was a ridiculous commercial decision.