Talks for a world featherweight title unification fight between Josh Warrington and Shakur Stevenson have ground to a standstill after the American turned down an offer for the fight to place in Leeds in May in favour of making a defence of his WBO title in New York in March.
Stevenson was calling out Warrington, the IBF champion, long before he won his world title. But when offered the chance for the fight to take place on May 16 at Elland Road, the home ground of Leeds United, Stevenson chose the other option of facing former Vassily Lomachenko victim Miguel Marriaga at the Madison Square Garden Theater on March 14.
“It’s at an impasse,” Frank Warren, Warrington’s promoter, said when asked about the prospects of the fight still going ahead. “He chose another fight.”
If Stevenson believes the fight could just be salvaged for another date, he could be disappointed, as ticket sales played a significant part in making the fight viable and Elland Road is unlikely to be available again until next year.
A combination of the expected Anthony Joshua-Kubrat Pulev fight and the European Football Championships effectively make another pay-per-view in June early July unlikely, while Leeds United are on target for their first return to the Premier League since. That season would kick-off on August 8 and the club would not risk any damage to the pitch in the weeks up to that.
The fight at Elland Road could draw a potential crowd of 30,000, while the First Direct Arena has a capacity of only 13,000.
All of which could have Warrington looking elsewhere for a unification fight.