King Josh is the toast of Leeds
THE spirit of ricky Hatton has traversed the Pennines and been reborn in Josh Warrington.
Just as the manchester Hitman roused an army of fanatics, so the Leeds Warrior is now galvanising his fellow yorkshiremen. more than 25,000 flocked to Elland road on this royal wedding Saturday to witness the coronation of the first son of Leeds ever to become a world boxing champion.
Warrington answered their clarion call with a performance of such unquenchable desire that this sporting city is now bursting with pride. So thunderously did Warrington challenge the usually serene and elusive Lee Selby that the iBF featherweight champion from Wales was forced to dig deeper than his fore-fathers down the coal mines.
The decision was split as deep as the gruesome gash above his left eye and the lack of unanimity among the judges brought jeers from the stands.
But Warrington’s victory was not quite as comprehensive as his cheerleaders believed.
The judge who saw it 115-113 in favour of Selby must have left his shades at the hotel but of the other two, the one who scored it by that margin in reverse was closer than the third man’s 116112 for Warrington.
On my card, the hometown hero prevailed 115-114 by virtue of the supreme effort in the last two rounds which turned back Selby’s late bid for salvation. as he had been throughout a fight which takes its place as a minor classic in the legend of British boxing’s domestic thrillers, Warrington was spurred on by the super-charged atmosphere.
as he put it: ‘i came into this with a weight of great expectations on my shoulders and i didn’t let Leeds down.’
most certainly he did not. Warrington’s head-first rushes slit open Selby’s left eyebrow as early as the second round, then inflicted later lacerations.
So grievous was the first cut that referee michael alexander was close to calling a stoppage, before bowing to Selby’s entreaties to be allowed to continue.
The blood kept coming, too. Down the side of Selby’s face to stain the shorts of his challenger and the referee’s white shirt and to splatter the canvas.
Had he been given the decision, Selby’s stitched-up features would never have healed in time for him to take part in the next football stadium fight, against Carl Frampton in Belfast’s Windsor Park, which had been promised the winner for this summer.
nor will Warrington recover fully by august 18. So the Ulster Jackal left the Leeds ringside seeking an alternative world title opponent for that date.
Promoter Frank Warren will most likely ease his newly risen star into a voluntary autumn defence of his title. Warren adds that the Frampton fight is bound to happen, although not necessarily now in northern ireland. nor for certain at Elland road despite this triumphal event. TySOn FUry will end his two- and- a- half- year ring exile against Sefer Seferi on June 9. Seferi, 39, a Swiss-based albanian, is not expected to pose a major threat in the 10-rounder at the manchester arena.