Boxing: Warrington and Adams '˜flying flag' for the city

Multiple featherweight champion Warrington will return from a 10-month lay-off when making his debut under Frank Warren in May with the featherweight set to face forrmer IBF world champion Kiko Martinez at First Direct Arena on Saturday, May 13.

A stellar card will also feature double Olympic champion Nicola Adams take in the second fight of her new career after also turning pro under Warren.

Adams will launch her new assault when fighting at Manchester Arena in April with the 34-year-old hopeful of securing her own world title fight next year.

But after many months of yearning for his own world title fight, Warrington now looks set to finally get his date with destiny this summer.

Warren’s team used a Wednesday-afternoon press conference at Elland Road to announce that talks have begun with Selby’s manager and promoter Chris Sanigar, with Warrington aiming to take on the Welshman for the IBF title at Elland Road in his next fight after May 13.

“It would be more than a dream,” admitted Warrington.

“It was a dream just to fight at Leeds Arena and to fight for the British title.

“To fight at Elland Road, it would be next level. I have dreamt about having post-fight press conferences at Elland Road after beating someone like Lee Selby and looking down and saying ‘cheers Lee’. It’s one of those things. I have been coming here since I was a young lad. It gives me goose bumps every time I go and see them and every time Leeds United ask me to go out on the pitch, it’s surreal.

“So to fight for a world title here, it would be something else but I am not going to look past May 13.

“My only focus is on that and then we’ll see what happens after. But I would like to say that it’s an honour to have Nicola on the undercard as well

“For a while it has just been me flying the flag for Leeds but you have got someone here who is a bit of a crossover and a bit of an icon.

“She will bring a new set of fans to the Arena and it’s going to be good having her alongside me flying the flag for Leeds.”

Martinez has yet to be officially confirmed as Warrington’s opponent in May but an agreement has been made and tickets for the event went on sale on Wednesday.

Martinez, a former IBF world champion and former European champion, is best known to the boxing public for two brilliant scraps against Carl Frampton.

Asked how soon she envisaged having her own world title shot, Adams said: “I’d like to say next year.

“I’d like to be ready for a world title then and bringing another belt back to Leeds.”