NO SLIP-UPS, JOSH
Warrington has it all to lose against Ceylan in final eliminator, writes
LEEDS featherweight Josh Warrington has been chasing a world title shot for a while now, so can’t afford to slip up against Denmark’s Dennis Ceylan in their IBF final eliminator at the First Direct Arena on Saturday (October 21).
BT Sport and Boxnation televise a show staged by Queensberry Promotions, the company Josh joined after previously being with Matchroom.
It’s the boxer’s sixth consecutive outing at the First Direct venue, having built up a huge following in the sports-mad Yorkshire city. (Josh’s beloved Rhinos have just won rugby league’s Grand Final). And he may well need all the support he can get, because in Ceylan he faces a tricky opponent who could derail his dreams of a challenge to IBF champion Lee Selby.
“It’s going to be another huge night of boxing for the city of Leeds,” recognised Warrington. “The buzz around the place is crazy. They crave a world champion and once I beat Ceylan I’ll be a step closer to delivering that.” Josh added that not being able to secure a fight with Welsh star Selby has annoyed him – and he will take that out on Ceylan.
“This is a proper fight and one I’m massively up for,” said Warrington. “Ceylan’s an undefeated former European champion but that doesn’t matter. He’s the one I have to beat to make myself the mandatory challenger. This won’t be an easy fight but there are no easy fights at this level. You’re going to see the best ever version of Josh Warrington against Ceylan.” Josh’s strengths have been on full display in his rise over the last few years: he lacks a devastating punch but compensates with a tremendous workrate, fuelled by fitness and determination. It will be interesting to see how that matches up with Ceylan, who has already fought two British boxers and benefitted from good fortune – albeit on home turf in Denmark. Dennis, a 2012 Olympian, beat Norfolk’s Ryan Walsh for the vacant European 126lbs crown in October 2016, but only after being counted on in the first and winning a split decision (two 115-112s against a 117-111 for Walsh). Five months later his first defence, against Morecambe’s Isaac Lowe, ended
in a four-round technical draw after an accidental head clash left the Dane too badly cut on his left eye to continue. As four rounds had not been completed, it didn’t go to the cards, which read 30-27 twice, 29-28 to Ceylan, although Lowe appeared to be coming into the contest.
“Lowe wasn’t as good as Josh,” said Ceylan. “He was more of a street type guy who just wanted to fight. Josh is more of a clever, technical fighter, so it will be a different challenge and a more difficult fight.
“I look forward to testing my skills against Josh. He’s a top-level opponent and I’ll have to be at my best to beat him. Fighting good opponents brings out the best in me. Josh might be my toughest opponent, so I’ll need to be on top of my game.”
Outside his native land, Ceylan has fought in Finland and Germany; it was in the latter country that he conceded the first draw on his record, to ordinary Spaniard Cristian Montilla in August 2014. A rematch in Denmark six months later saw Dennis win on a seventh-round stoppage, so maybe the first fight was just a “bad night at the office”.
The only other names on his record British fans might recognise are Dmitri Kirilov, the former world super-flyweight title challenger from Russia who was way over the hill when Ceylan outscored him over 10 in March 2015; and Colombian veteran Walter Estrada, walloped in five by Kevin Mitchell back in 2008 and halted in two by Ceylan in December 2015.
It all suggests that Ceylan has been matched carefully, while Warrington has learned from wins against a variety of rugged foes in Asians like Dennis Tubieron (Philippines, pts 12) and Hisashi Amagasa ( Japan, pts 12), plus Europeans such as Patrick Hyland (Ireland, rsf 9) and Kiko Martinez (Spain, pts 12).
And Ceylan, in his first major fight on the road, will surely never have encountered the noisy, boisterous support the Leeds fans will generate on Saturday. So while Ceylan’s two-inch height advantage and sound skills can keep him in the fight for a few rounds, by the halfway mark Warrington should have gained a control he will keep until the final bell brings a clear points victory.
THE VERDICT Once again, Warrington will give his army of fans something to get excited about.