Warrington floored by underdog’s knock out
JOSH Warrington suffered the first defeat of his professional career as the heavy-handed Mauricio Lara produced a monumental upset by stopping the Leeds featherweight in the ninth round of his ring return, writes the Press Association’s David Charlesworth.
In his first fight since October 2019, Warrington was sent crashing to the canvas in the fourth by his little-known Mexican opponent and there could have been few complaints if the contest was halted there and then.
Warrington was on unsteady legs thereafter and while he showed great courage to remain in the fight, his opponent’s power proved too much as a succession of savage left hooks buzzed the Yorkshireman again at the SSE Arena, Wembley.
Lara, 22, then closed the show with a full-blooded one-two, with referee Howard John Foster immediately waving off the fight to leave Warrington’s hopes of facing one of the world’s top featherweights this summer in ruins.
Warrington, pictured, required oxygen immediately after the defeat but was able to walk out of the arena by himself to be taken to hospital for precautionary checks.
“For Josh Warrington it is an absolute crushing blow,” promoter Eddie Hearn said afterwards on Sky Sports. “For all the great nights, we wanted to be standing here talking about the return to Leeds after the pandemic.
“Now, it’s back to the drawing board. It’s looking at the future. This isn’t the kind of environment he’s used to, but no excuses. He got beat by a hungry, hungry Mexican fighter who changed his life.”
The 30-year-old relinquished his his IBF crown last month after being informed a rematch against Kid Galahad - who he beat controversially in June 2019 - would take precedence over a unification showdown against Can Xu.
It was anticipated he would take on the WBA’s ‘regular’ champion in the next couple of months, with this bout at the behindclosed-doors venue in London viewed merely as a tune-up.
Lara had few recognisable names on his ledger and had only previously fought once outside his native Mexico.