Josh Warrington’s coach hopes to set up a fight with Leo Santa Cruz before moving onto a clash with Leigh Wood.
Warrington suffered a broken jaw on Saturday night in Leeds but that was not enough to prevent him from stopping Kiko Martinez to win the IBF featherweight belt for the second time in his career.
The two-time champion hopes to fight in the US after getting his career back on track after failing to best Mauricio Lara over two fights - the first a defeat, and in August last year a disappointing technical knockout.
Sean O’Hagan, Warrington’s father and coach, now anticipates a switch to America with title fights on offer.
“I think what this does, it gives us options now doesn’t it? Josh has always expressed an interest in going abroad to fight in Las Vegas, or maybe New York," he said to PA News.
“But there again, we’ve got [WBA champion] Leigh Wood in the equation haven’t we? We’ve got [WBC champion] Mark Magsayo, the possibilities now are numerous.
“With a fighter like Josh, who’s put his heart and soul into his career over the last 12 or 13 years, we’ve got to acknowledge what he wants.”
O’Hagan suggested that there could also be a match-up with WBA super featherweight champion Santa Cruz, before moving back for a final fight for the 31-year-old, against Wood.
“I know that would be a unification in the States, so we can’t rule out [WBA super featherweight champion Leo] Santa Cruz,” he continued.
“If I was going to choose one I’d say let’s go take on Santa Cruz, then we’ll come back home for maybe his last one and unify against Leigh Wood. There will be some clamour for that, absolutely, but like I say, Josh has done everything that’s ever been asked of him.”