Josh Warrington broke his jaw in his round-seven stoppage win over Kiko Martinez.
Despite suffering the injury he was nevertheless dominant against the veteran Spaniard and emerged with the IBF belt that he vacated back at the start of 2021.
That decision was then followed by a huge upset defeat to Maurico Lara in February last year before a controversial technical draw the following August, with Warrington believing he had done enough to win.
However he returned to action on Saturday night in Leeds to reclaim the belt that Martinez won from Kid Galahad last November, and hopes to fight next in America, with Leigh Wood, Leo Santa Cruz, Emanuel Navarrete and Mark Magsayo all future opponents. A fight with Wood, the WBA ‘regular’ champion, would likely be a massive fight in Britain with the pair both based in the north of England.
Speaking to DAZN, Warrington said his preference would be to fight abroad.
“If we've got to go down and boot the doors off of the City Ground, away day, we'll do it,” Warrington said.
“But for a long time we've been wanting to go to the States. Many of these [fans] have got their passports at the ready, their credit cards at the ready.
“We want an away day next. 11 times we've been here, we've done Headingley and we've done Elland Road. Let's have an away day.”
Interviewed by the BBC, Matchroom head Eddie Hearn endorsed the possibility of fighting in the United States.
“Josh has long wanted a trip to America and it would be Ricky Hatton-esque if we could do it,” he confirmed. “There's mandatory as well and loads of politics.
“It looked like his career might be over, but he came back and regained the belt. He's back in control with big nights ahead.”