Josh Warrington open to fan-free fight by end of 2020

PASSIONATE and raucous support has been a feature of Josh Warrington’s rise to world champion status but the biggest moment of his career could be met with virtual silence.
Options: Josh Warrington, above in explosive action at Leeds Arena and is weighing up his options, including fighting behind closed doors (Picture: Steve Riding)Options: Josh Warrington, above in explosive action at Leeds Arena and is weighing up his options, including fighting behind closed doors (Picture: Steve Riding)
Options: Josh Warrington, above in explosive action at Leeds Arena and is weighing up his options, including fighting behind closed doors (Picture: Steve Riding)

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen the Tokyo Olympics, Wimbledon, Euro 2020 and a host of other tournaments and sporting events cancelled or postponed.

Warrington was due to fight Can Xu in a featherweight unification match this summer at Emerald Headingley, in what would have undoubtedly been a sell-out.

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It has been over 10 months since the Leeds Warrior last boxed, when he successfully defended his IBF title with the second-round knockout of Sofiane Takoucht in October. When sporting events first started being postponed, he was happy to wait for the safe return of fans before going toe to toe with Xu.

Josh Warrington has not fought for 10 months (Picture: PA)Josh Warrington has not fought for 10 months (Picture: PA)
Josh Warrington has not fought for 10 months (Picture: PA)

However, as the weeks and months drag on and with fans set to be allowed back only in limited capacity from October at the earliest, Warrington would reluctantly take his fight behind closed doors if necessary.

“I understand that he [Xu] still wants to fight. We are getting to the stage now where we want to get that pen to paper, find a venue and get the logistics right,” said Warrington.

“I would have said a few months ago to wait for the fans to come back but now we are into August and in a few months it will be a year since I last boxed. You can’t really say that was much of a fight either.

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“I had a full camp but it was only a round and a half in the ring; it is not the most that you want when you are trying to keep some momentum going.

“There is always a risk if you push it back. I am at the stage now that if there is an opportunity there to have the fight and it means we need to go behind closed doors, or have a percentage of the crowd there, then I would be willing to do that.”

Warrington would look to head straight into a fight with Xu, admitting he would have no time for a warm-up bout.

The IBF champion has mandatory challengers to consider and insists that ring rust will not be an issue.

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He added: “I believe that ring rust, a lot of the time, happens early in your career.

“I am 30 fights deep now and I have had 14 or 15 12-round fights, so I don’t think a warm-up fight could prepare me for what I would be going into with Can Xu.

“Secondly, I am in a position where I don’t have the luxury to consider warm-up fights because I have got mandatory fights and they don’t want to be waiting around.

“I would be exempt with a unification fight but not a warm-up fight.”

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Scheduling a fight is no easy task in the current climate, with most sporting and sanctioning bodies governed by different coronavirus measures.

Warrington hopes to return to the ring before the end of the year, when restrictions could allow a percentage of supporters to attend.

Agreeing to fight behind closed doors, or with a limited number of fans, does not mean Warrington won’t miss the roar of the crowd as punches are traded.

He continued: “Even when you are in the fight itself, you have to keep yourself focused and stick to the game-plan but when you are landing the shots and the crowd are cheering, there is the roar and the buzz.

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“And then your opponent might come back with a little bit of success, if you are fighting at home there is a bit of silence.

“That energy from the crowd, that is why we do it. We compete to entertain.

“When the fans are screaming and shouting at ringside, it is a good buzz.”

In March and April, when lockdown restrictions were at their strictest, Warrington would spend days training on his own.

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As measures started to ease, Warrington’s father and trainer Sean O’Hagan would stand at the door of the gym to deliver instructions to his son while he practised on the punch bag and shadow boxed.

With professional sports stars now allowed back in training, the gym Warrington has been training in has seen much more activity.

“You enjoy the banter and competition with the lads and everyone is pushing each other,” he added.

“It is nice to get all that back. You feel like you can push on a little bit more.

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“I am hoping that by November or December I am back in the ring again and winning another couple of belts.”

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