By Elliot Foster
Josh Warrington believes the only thing left for him to do is to unify the featherweight division.
The Leeds man retained his IBF world title earlier this month with a split-decision victory over his mandatory challenger.
Warrington took on Kid Galahad at Leeds’ First Direct Arena, exclusively live on BT Sport, and came out on top via margins of 113-115, 116-112 and 116-113 on June 15.
Afterwards, Galahad backed ‘The Leeds Warrior’ to go on and unify the division, mentioning his thoughts that Warrington would “100 per cent” beat WBO champion Oscar Valdez were they to meet.
Valdez is being touted as a potential opponent for former WBA Super world champion Carl Frampton before the year is out.
Frampton is expected to return on August 10 at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, against an opponent to be confirmed, before taking on Valdez for the world title in December.
But the 29-year-old, who is now 29-0 with six quick and who outpointed the aforementioned Frampton last year at Manchester Arena, would prefer a crack at the current WBA Super world champion Leo Santa Cruz, who has already fought against Frampton twice.
“What’s next for me? I’ve cleared up in Britain now. In Lee Selby, Carl Frampton and Kid Galahad, I’m proud to have beaten the other top three featherweights over here and there isn’t anybody else left for me to face,” Warrington said when speaking to John Evans for 32Red.
“From now on, I have to be mixing with the other top guys in the division and the only challenges left for me lie Stateside. I usually feel a bit sore after the fight but I felt perfectly fine last week and I’ll be ready to get back in the gym soon.”
The title that Warrington wants the most is the Ring Magazine belt. It’s vacant at 126-pound at the moment and he wants the fight with Santa Cruz to go ahead so that he gets a crack at the bauble.
“I’m sitting at number two in the Ring Magazine rankings just behind Leo Santa Cruz,” he continued. “If the top two fighters in a division face each other, he Ring title is on the line. It’s always been my dream to win that belt and be recognised as the best featherweight in the world. Now it’s within reach.
“What do you say, Leo? Let’s get it on for my IBF and your WBA title and we’ll throw the Ring Magazine belt in too. You game?”
You can read Josh Warrington’s exclusive diary with John Evans for 32Red at bit.ly/2IRa787.