Recalling the day Warrington set off on route to the top
‘Leeds Warrior’ Josh Warrington has come through some tough bouts but claiming the British title gave him one of his toughest. Ben McKenna reports.
SIX years ago to the day, Josh Warrington had just achieved everything that he had initially set out to do when he turned professional.
The now 29-year-old’s arm was raised at the Leeds Arena, his first fight at the venue, as he was crowned British featherweight champion by a unanimous decision after a gritty display against Martin Lindsay but the victory only made him hungry for more.
After a fervid 12 rounds, every judge scored the fight 119-110 in favour of Warrington, who also retained his Commonwealth title with the victory.
The ‘Leeds Warrior’ has gone on to claim the IBF featherweight title and fight nine more times at the Leeds Arena, and once at Elland Road, but he revealed winning the British title was the target at the top of his agenda when he first stepped up to the professional ranks.
Prior to his clash with Lindsay, Warrington admits his family were confident he would claim victory but he knew he had a challenge on his hands with his opponent losing just two of his 23 bouts prior to the contest.
“Everyone around me was over-confident apart from me because I knew what kind of challenge I was facing,” said Warrington. “I knew that Martin Lindsay was one of the biggest punchers about. I had watched videos of him knocking out people like Derry Matthews and I knew he was a solid puncher. He wasn’t a complete one-punch knockout artist but he was strong enough to hurt you and let you know about it. So I was quite nervous.
“Not only the fact I had to fight him but it was for the British title which was my initial goal when I turned pro.”
Warrington was keen to savour the atmosphere when he arrived at the Arena but stayed in his dressing room to mentally prepare for the contest.
“I remember getting down there, it was all a new experience with it being my first fight at the Arena,” he continued.
“I just wanted to go out of my changing rooms and go out in the stands and see what it would look like to see a boxing fight in the stands. But I didn’t.”
Despite winning the bout convincingly, Warrington admits it was no walk in the park.
Lindsay was known for this punching power and Warrington revealed how his urine sample after the contest was dark due to the amount of blood in it, adding: “That night, I had a hard fight against Martin (Lindsay). He was just solid and a tough, tough man. It was like punching a brick wall anytime I hit him.
“When he did land on me, on my arms, my gloves or my face, it hurt. He made me work for those 12 rounds.
“When I won the British title I just remember being in the changing rooms happy as Larry. My pee sample was dark, full of blood, because of the body shots he had hurt me with.
“For me, sat there in the early hours of the morning with the British title over my lap my, I was thinking, ‘Wow, I’ve done it.’
“It wasn’t until the next day that I thought, ‘I am not finished here.’ Winning the British title was what I set out to do and I gave myself 10 years to do it. It has gone on to be a much greater career than we first planned out.”