Mighty Josh is to DIY for

JOSH WARRINGTON was busy putting together furniture just hours after announcing himself as one of the best featherweights in the world.

His wife Tasha handed him the instructions to assemble a chest of drawers from IKEA soon after outpointing Carl Frampton in the first defence of his IBF crown.

It’s not all glamour for the Leeds star as he was yesterday brought down to earth following the best performance of his career.

“She’ll vouch for me that the first thing I said to her was that I can’t wait to get home on Sunday and put that furniture together for her,” said Warrington, who suffered a fractured hand in a fight-of-theyear contender.

“I’ve done no Christmas shopping, so I’ll be out on Christmas Eve trying to do it all.”

Warrington, 28, can afford to splash a bit more cash on his family as there will be big paydays to come next year. WBO champion Oscar Valdez tops the wishlist, as his promoter Frank Warren backed him to unify the division.

“It means I can stop buying my babies’ dresses in Asda, I can really spoil them,” said the Leeds man, whose partner gave birth to twin girls earlier this year.

Thrilling

“We go up against the odds and prove people wrong.”

Warrington was given no chance of beating Lee Selby to win the IBF title back in May and he was also the underdog against Frampton at the Manchester Arena.

But this was a performance that puts him alongside the top dogs in the division – Valdez, WBC title holder Gary Russell Jnr and WBA king Leo Santa Cruz – in what was a thrilling 12-round war on Saturday night. Warrington started at a ferocious pace as he lashed in big hooks in a blistering first round.

Frampton stood toe-to-toe with the defending champion but came off worse in the exchanges.

Frampton, who was bidding to become a four-time world champion, had some success on the outside as he countered Warrington.

But the Yorkshireman was relentless as he earned a unanimous points win to stretch his unbeaten record to 28 victories.

“I like being the underdog, it takes the pressure off,” added Warrington.

“I can fight Valdez next, that’s what we get paid to do. Momentum keeps me going.

“I want to take the boys Stateside and the journey continues.”