Home Boxing News Josh Warrington could seek interim fight before pursuing trilogy bout against Mauricio...

Josh Warrington could seek interim fight before pursuing trilogy bout against Mauricio Lara

Josh Warrington. Photo credit: Lorne Campbell

Josh ‘The Leeds Warrior’ Warrington 30-1-1 (7) is considering an interim fight before pursuing a third bout with archrival Mauricio ‘Bronco’ Lara 23-2-1 (16).

The 30-year-old Warrington was looking to avenge his ninth-round knockout loss in February to Mexican Lara, 23, at Headingley Rugby League Stadium in Leeds on Saturday night, but it wasn’t to be.

An unintentional clash of heads opened a nasty cut over Lara’s left eye that forced the bout to be stopped at the end of the second round on the advice of the ringside physician. The official ruling was a technical draw.

Warrington is desperate to get his revenge but it realistic enough to know that he will have to some time before that can become a possibility.

“I am a bit of a mental case and don’t know if the ghost of Mauricio Lara will haunt me. I’m 30 and have been out for seven months — how long will that cut keep him out?” Warrington said.

“I assumed by now I would be unified champion having ticked off America and with loads of zeroes in the bank.

“The pandemic and getting chinned meant it hasn’t happened, though I want to get one over him. But I just can’t wait around too long.”

A stay-busy fight in the United States while he waits for Lara’s eye to heal is another possibility in what would be his US debut.

“I would even take one over in the States next, without a title, because my fans deserve it,” Warrington said.

“I thought I was [going to win], especially after I sat down after the first round and thought, ‘This is mine for the taking.’ I could even see myself having an early night, but not in this kind of a scenario.

“Weeks of weeks of promotion, and all these people come out. I’m just sorry. I can only apologise. I will have my redemption eventually. I wanted to say thank you [to the fans] by getting the win.”

In their first fight Lara surprised Warrington by dropping him in the fourth and against in the ninth before the fight was stopped.

In the rematch Warrington appeared to edge the first while Lara was getting the better of the action in the second until the headclash. It was shaping up as another exciting battle.

“I’ve never had that before,” promoter Eddie Hearn said to iFL TV.

“I’ve never had a main even fight end in a technical draw inside four rounds. I’ve sometimes seen that on other shows and thought, ‘It was a meh,’ and it was meh.

“Please, another two or three rounds because it was just warming up so good, but we move on. Josh is healthy, Lara is good. Like I said, one of the worst cuts I’ve seen.”