Win or lose, the pandemic was our biggest fight
The former IBF world featherweight champion writes exclusively for METRO
THIS Saturday at Headingley, I’ve got my rematch against Mauricio Lara, in front of a big crowd. It’s my chance to get immediate revenge over the Mexican, who inflicted my first defeat as a professional in February.
That loss came behind closed doors but during the pandemic so, while it might not always have gone to plan for me, I know I was one of the lucky ones to be able to carry on boxing.
Speaking to my manager Steve Wood and to other fighters, I know how fortunate I am to have had sponsors to keep me going and, financially, I am not in a bad position.
Steve has 800 boxers on his books and they need to be fighting. Instead, they have had nothing to aim for and have had nothing to do but tick over. They can’t just wait and wait and wait. Steve himself is a successful businessman away from boxing. If he wasn’t, he would have left the sport years ago.
More alarmingly, because of the situation, boxers have been turning their back on the sport because they simply can’t afford to keep going at a time when small-hall shows have been shut down for the best part of 18 months.
For many fighters that has meant no income from the boxing ring so they have had to look elsewhere to keep a roof over their heads.
A lot of people have suffered and hearing their stories puts it all in perspective for me when I’m planning for such a big fight in my career as this weekend in Leeds.
I feel a lot for young boxers who were coming through and hoping to make it big as professional fighters when coronavirus came along.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the number of licences renewed this year dip by a long way.
I remember my own battle to make it. I was still a dental technician three days a week when I became European featherweight champion in 2014.
It is easy to say, but I think I would have carried on and tried everything to get my break in the circumstances.
I know a few lads who have been training at my dad’s gym who have just said: ‘I can’t do this any more.’ It’s terribly sad to see talent leave the sport but that’s the reality of the situation for so many. Boxing pays the bills. No fights – no pay.
There was another lad we know who was boxing, a paramedic, who has gone back to his old job full-time. He had no choice. It takes a lot of discipline to stick with boxing as it can take a long time for a breakthrough. There are very few overnight successes, as I know myself.
That’s why I am so determined to bounce back and avenge my only paid defeat against Lara.
Everything is on the line for me. This time, unlike in February, there will be fans in. It is hard to imagine what a behindclosed-doors fight is like and that’s what hit me in our first encounter.
It was flat, empty and quiet and the spark I get from my supporters was missing. I feed off the energy of the crowd and it was difficult last time.
Everyone will be back on Saturday and I know the fans can help me.
I only have to watch the first Lara fight again to bring all those feelings back. I guess that’s what I got on the night for being too cocky.
My promoter Eddie Hearn said to me we had a rematch clause in the contract in case things went wrong and I laughed but he was deadly serious. That loss has taken its toll and eaten away at me. Now is the time to put the record straight.
In 2019, I genuinely felt no man at this weight would beat me. It’s interesting how things go. But I know it was just an off-night last time.
It will be great to fight at Headingley and I’ll have ticked off all the big venues in England except the O2. I won’t be taking anything for granted this time and know the spectators won’t be either after so long without being able to see a fight. I’m doing it for them as well as myself.
■ Josh Warrington is an ambassador for 11Degrees.com