A two-fight series with an unknown Mexican with his career on the line was probably not what Josh Warrington had in mind when he relinquished his IBF featherweight crown at the beginning of 2021. Unifications with Can Xu and Gary Russell Jr were not forthcoming so Warrington vacated his hard-earned strap and chose to stay busy against Mauricio Lara. It was a decision that had drastic consequences.
Three years ago, Warrington had a strong case of being Britain’s best boxer. His quiet rise under the studious guidance of long-term manager, Steve Wood, saw the Leeds man bolster his record on north England small halls before his fanatical following triggered the interest of Eddie Hearn, and later Frank Warren.
An arena attraction, Warrington made the switch to stadium fighter in the spring of 2018 when he overcame massive odds to upset Lee Selby. Later that year, once again an underdog despite possessing the world belt he won from the awkward Welshman, Warrington turned in a relentless display to shock Carl Frampton. Any concerns about Warrington being unable to operate on the highest level were suddenly extinguished.
Further defences against Kid Galahad and Sofiane Takoucht were intended to get Warrington closer to unification showdowns or American dollars, but with 2020 essentially tightening boxing’s purse strings, Warrington would have to remain patient. The IBF pushed for a Galahad rematch but Josh had no interest in going over old ground.
With no world title included in his possessions and a trip to America unplanned, Warrington rolled the dice with a keep busy fight against Lara. Shunned by supporters of the sport as a pointless fight that wouldn’t benefit Warrington in the slightest, Hearn, promoter of the fight, was ridiculed by many when he boldly declared that Lara would be a tough test. The Matchroom chairman will have been disappointed with just how accurate his prophecy was.
For nine rounds, Lara battered Warrington handling the previously unbeaten fighter his maiden loss as a professional. The former world champion was dropped heavily in round four and spent the remaining rounds on unsteady legs as Lara chopped away before ending the contest five sessions later than when the fight should’ve sensibly been called off.
Just like most losses, reasons and excuses were provided for why a world level fighter, arguably the best in his division, was dominated and outclassed by a man whose reputation was only known within local circles beforehand. Warrington, a proper fighter, was not the guilty party in throwing out wild explanations for the manner of his defeat but another loss to Lara on Saturday night will have even his most ardent supporters struggling to explain why.
Back in February, Warrington fought in an empty arena due to the lockdown provisions that Britain was then adhering to. A boxer widely known for feeding off the energy of his fans, did the library atmosphere contribute to a flat showing, which didn’t allow him to demonstrate the same ferocity that was so impressive against Selby and Frampton? An expected rapturous reception on Headingley this weekend should eliminate that issue.
How about his gym mate, Reece Mould, suffering a brutal loss to Leigh Wood moments before Warrington would enter the ring? If that caused a severe impact then Warrington may want to avoid the Jovanni Straffon vs. Maxi Hughes result until after his own fight due to the latter being a central part of his camp in the build-up to the Lara rematch.
What about the probable reason for the loss, which is Warrington just simply overlooking Lara with his mind being on the lucrative names around the featherweight division? If that’s the case, and it often is, Warrington is well aware of the threat that will be standing across the ring from him in just a few days' time. He’s endured the very best of Lara and he knows exactly what to expect this time around.
Warrington is in a place that fighters despise to be. A second defeat to Lara will surely signal the end of a brilliant career that just a few months ago displayed no signs of being anywhere near the exit door. Warrington, and his team, took a huge gamble back in February and it didn’t pay off. They’ve done the same for a second time and it’s a choice that simply can’t backfire.