Josh Warrington: record, next fight and profile →
Josh Warrington, Eddie Hearn Presser Photos Gallery - Undefeated IBF Featherweight World Champion Josh Warrington has signed a multi-fight promotional deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, with his future fights to be shown live on Sky Sports and DAZN. (photos by Dave Thompson
Bob Arum doesn’t think Josh Warrington switching promoters will prevent Warrington from fighting Shakur Stevenson later this year. Stevenson’s promoter still expects their featherweight title unification fight to take place this summer in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England. Putting Stevenson-Warrington together now will require Arum’s company, Top Rank Inc., to work with Matchroom Boxing’s Eddie Hearn, who announced Wednesday that his company has re-signed Warrington to a promotional deal.
Josh Warrington could be set to announce a world featherweight unification fight on Thursday after parting ways with his promoter, Frank Warren, to resign with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Group. The IBF featherweight champion left Matchroom for Warren in 2017 leading to the most prolific period in his career, as he claimed his world title and then successfully defended it against Carl Frampton.
Shakur Stevenson has reacted to the news of Josh Warrington’s promotional switch with positivity. The WBO world featherweight champion has long been touted as a potential future foe for the IBF king as he craved unification showdowns.
Well, that was quick. Barely a few hours after parting ways with Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions, Josh Warrington (30-0, 7KOs) has secured a new home—actually an old one. The unbeaten featherweight titlist has agreed to a multi-fight deal with rival promotional outfit Matchroom Boxing, under whose banner he previously fight until leaving in December 2016 to sign with Warren. “It's great to be back with Matchroom, Sky and now DAZN and I'm very excited about the future,” said Warrington. “I have enjoyed my time at BT [Sport] but now I’m looking forward to going on to achieve my dreams of both fighting in the USA and unifying the division."
For the second time this week, Josh Warrington has reached the end of the road of a significant development in his career. The unbeaten featherweight titlist has allowed his promotional contract with Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions to expire without renewing terms. Queensberry Promotions confirmed the news through an official press statement on Wednesday. "Frank Warren and Queensberry Promotions can announce that the company has parted ways with IBF world featherweight champion Josh Warrington at the conclusion of his promotional agreement," the statement read. "The now 30-0 man from Leeds joined forces with Queensberry in 2017 and was quickly steered into mandatory position for the world title showdown with Lee Selby that he long craved. This was delivered on a memorable night at Elland Road in May 2018 and Josh subsequently defended in a huge Box Office event against Carl Frampton in the December at Manchester Arena. "Home advantage for a mandatory defence against fellow Yorkshireman Kid Galahad was secured in June 2019, with his last fight being a voluntary defence against Sofiane Takoucht, which resulted in an emphatic second round victory."
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.
Ask Kid Galahad who he thinks is the world’s No 1 featherweight, he give a very straightforward answer. Himself. Eight months on from his unsuccessful challenge for Josh Warrington’s IBF title, the feeling that he got a raw decision from the judges that night has not gone away, although he is trying to channel any frustration into something more positive.
ATLANTIC CITY – Assuming Shakur Stevenson beats Miguel Marriaga on March 14, Bob Arum expects Stevenson to travel to England to face Josh Warrington in his following fight. Stevenson’s promoter told BoxingScene.com that Stevenson and Warrington are likely to meet in a featherweight title unification fight sometime in May or June. The date of their fight is dependent upon the availability of Elland Road, the outdoor soccer stadium where Stevenson and Warrington would meet in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, England.
A FEW DAYS late but we are still at that juncture where it is timely to reveal a few New Year’s resolutions or a wish list. I’ve seen a number of people keeping it topical and piping up with their 20/20 vision, so here is mine and let’s see how much of it we can make come true over the course of the next 12 months.