Notebook: Warrington sees title fight vs. Wood as a 'must win'
Harper, Braekhus try again; heavyweights headline as TR shuffles bouts; title eliminator delayed 2 weeks; Quick hits; Show and tell
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Leigh Wood, the WBA featherweight titleholder, and former featherweight titlist Josh Warrington have seemingly been on a collision course and that that moment is finally here.
Wood will make the first defense of his second title reign against Warrington in the all-British main event of the Matchroom Boxing card on Saturday (DAZN, 2 p.m. ET) at the neutral site Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England.
It’s a fight both men have seen as inevitable.
“I got the opportunity for the world title, I won the world title (in 2021), and then I had to defend against (Michael) Conlan because they were sorting the (WBA super and regular) belt situation out,” Wood said. “That was out of my hands. Then I got a choice of who to fight and Josh had a fight at the time for the world title so the next best person for me was the person that beat him (Mauricio Lara). This fight for me made sense.”
Wood ended up losing the title by knockout to Lara in February, but he regained it in an immediate rematch in May.
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In 2021, Warrington, who had vacated the IBF title to fight Lara rather than make a mandatory defense against Kid Galahad, wound up being upset by Lara in a ninth-round knockout. An immediate rematch later in 2021 ended as a second-round technical draw due an accidental head butt that left Lara cut and unable to continue.
Warrington would go on to regain the belt by seventh-round knockout of Kiko Martinez, who had taken it from Galahad, and then lost it by majority decision to Luis Alberto Lopez in December.
Despite coming off the loss to Lopez, Warrington now has the chance to challenge Wood for his belt. He has his eye on Wood for some time.
“When I first started coming through I think Leigh was probably around the same level that I was at the time. We were probably looking for British title fights, domestic title fights,” Warrington said. “I think at the time he’d taken to Twitter, mentioned my name a few times. I thought our paths might have crossed earlier to be honest with you.
“(This fight), it’s natural. Boxing has been booming in this country, in the U.K. shows. Big fights have been made, no bigger than the domestic rivalry. I’ve had a fair few of them over recent years. (Lee) Selby, (Carl) Frampton, Kid Galahad — everyone loves a domestic rivalry.
“Things happen, and he’s faced one of my former opponents (Lara), who I didn’t manage to get a win over (and) he has. So, I feel like I’ve been part of his journey.”
Both fighters wanted the fight and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn also wanted to make it. It was made possible after the WBA agreed to grant Wood a special permit to bypass for one fight a due mandatory defense against Othabek Kholmatov, whose side opposed the granting of the permit but was overruled.
The WBA mandated that the Wood-Warrington winner (or Wood if the fight is a draw) must face Kholmatov within 120 days of the fight and that Kholmatov (11-0, 10 KOs), 25, of Uzbekistan, is allowed to have an interim bout against an opponent approved by WBA.
While Wood (27-3, 16 KOs), 35, has remained “cool, calm and collected,” he said he has noticed a change in the demeanor of Warrington (31-2-1, 8 KOs), 32, this week as the fight grows closer.
“It’s been respectful between us all camp. I think Josh is starting to get slightly aggressive, starting to swear a little bit,” Wood said. “He thinks people will like him if he swears a little bit more. The last few days, I think he's changing a little bit. He might even be trying to rattle me, I don’t know. Like I said, I’m cool, calm and collected and I know what I've got to do.
“I’ve been at this level many times. He’s going to do what he always does and I’ll do what I always do. I feel like I’ve always had the potential, but I was missing a little bit of guidance. I got to a high level doing things on my own, but since I’ve teamed up with (trainer) Ben (Davison) it’s brought out the best in me and it’s showing on fight night. I make less mistakes and I capitalize on my opponents. It’s taken me to another level.”
If there has been a change in Warrington’s demeanor perhaps it is because he knows just how critical winning is to his future because of the fact that he is 1-2-1 in is last four bouts and has not looked particularly sharp.
“I’ve said it throughout my career — every fight has been must-win,” Warrington said. “Go back to my professional debut (in 2009). That was a must-win. I wanted to get off on winning ways. As your career goes on, that next one is your biggest one. In terms of is it my biggest night altogether, you'll have to ask me that when I'm done and retired. At this moment in time in my career it's the biggest fight.
“I pinched myself becoming a world champion, never mind a three-time world Champion (with a victory). That's not bad that. I’m going to be asking for freebies around where I live. It’s fantastic, but we’re not done. There’s this and there’s more to add to it. I still strongly believe that I can add more to my career. I always say Josh Warrington wins no matter how it comes, but this one, I don’t see it going 12 rounds.”
Take 2: Harper vs. Braekhus
Former longtime undisputed women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus, one of boxing’s greatest female boxers of all time, was set for a shot at WBA junior middleweight titlist Terri Harper on May 20 on the undercard of the Chantelle Cameron-Katie Taylor fight in Dublin, Ireland.
But when Braekhus woke up on the morning of the fight she was very ill and forced to pull out of the bout, which was rescheduled and will take place on the Leigh Wood-Josh Warrington featherweight title card on Saturday (DAZN, 2 p.m. ET) at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England. The vacant WBO belt is now also on the line.
Braekhus (37-2, 9 KOs), 42, of Norway, is in the twilight of her career and grateful that the bout was rescheduled after being crushed to have to pull out in May.
“Last time I woke up on fight day and I was sick. I knew right away when I opened my eyes that this is not going to happen,” said Braekhus, who held the welterweight title from 2009 to 2020. “I went to the bathroom and I was dizzy, and when that happens, you are not going to get in the ring, so I just called and said ‘this is off.’ It wasn’t even for discussion. It was heartbreaking.
“I want to thank Matchroom and Team Harper for giving me the fight again. They didn’t have to. They could have gone another way. We know that this is going to be a great fight. We’ve been locked in on each other for two camps now and I think there’s a whole different energy right now. It’s going to be twice as good as it was going to be.”
Harper (14-1-1, 6 KOs), 26, of England, a former junior lightweight titlist, will be making her second junior middleweight title defense and was pleased that the fight was rescheduled.
“It's a better fight now that there's another belt on the line,” Harper said. “Now I get to do it in front of a home crowd. I’ve got to go out there on Saturday night, obviously respect that she's got all of this experience over me and she's one of the greatest, but I've got to use my youth and my speed and everything to my advantage. I've really got to stick it on her.”
Heavyweight headliner
Heavyweights Efe Ajagba and Joe Goodall, who fought as amateurs, will square off in the 10-round main event of a Top Rank Boxing on ESPN+ card on Nov. 4 at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
The card will be the first boxing event at the venue, which opened in September.
The fight is not the one Top Rank originally planned to headline on the date. Initially, Top Rank planned for WBO featherweight titlist Robeisy Ramirez (13-1, 8 KOs) to make his second title defense against Rafael Espinoza (21-0, 18 KOs) in a fight that was not officially announced.
Instead, Ramirez-Espinoza will headline the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card Dec. 9 following the presentation of college football’s Heisman Trophy on ESPN, a slot Top Rank and the network have made a traditional slot for a boxing event, sources with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite.
Dec. 9 was on hold for lineal/WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez to defend at New York’s Madison Square Garden, but Lopez decided not fight for the rest of the year, which led to Top Rank moving Ramirez-Espinoza to Heisman night, although it will be the first time the annual card won’t take place in New York, where the trophy is also presented.
There is no set venue yet but, according to sources, junior middleweight up-and-comer Xander Zayas will be on the televised portion of the card. Another fighter who could appear on the main card is lightweight prospect and 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis.
As for the Nov. 2 card, Ajagba-Goodall will be a rematch of sorts. Goodall outpointed Ajagba in the amateur ranks, winning a decision in the semifinals of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
“This is a great opportunity for me to close out the year with a big victory and move closer to a world title opportunity,” Ajagba said. “Goodall is a big, powerful heavyweight, but I am confident in my preparation, and I will do what it takes to be victorious.”
The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Ajagba (18-1, 13 KOs), 29, a 2016 Olympian from Nigeria, who fights out of Stafford, Texas, has won three in a row since a decision loss to Frank Sanchez in 2021.
The 6-5, 240-pound Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs), 31, of Australia, who recently signed with promoter Lou DiBella, has won two in a row since a decision loss to unbeaten Justis Huni, Australia’s top heavyweight prospect.
Goodall is coming off an impressive sixth-round knockout of Stephan Shaw in July. In Shaw’s previous bout, he lost a 10-round decision to Ajagba in January.
“Efe Ajagba is a world class boxer and a huge challenge for me. This is an opportunity, though, for me to come to America and show the world what I am capable of,” Goodall said. “It’s a massive show and I’m genuinely honored to be a part of it. When I signed with DiBella Entertainment, I told Lou that I only wanted the big fights. I want to put myself into a position to fight for a world title, and I believe beating Efe will do that.”
In the 10-round co-feature, lightweight up-and-comer Raymond Muratalla (18-0, 15 KOs), 26, of Fontana, California, will face Diego Torres (18-0, 17 KOs), 26, of Mexico, in the 10-round co-feature.
“We were supposed to fight in August, but unfortunately, injuries happen,” Muratalla said. “I am 100 percent healthy and ready to put on a show against a tough, undefeated fighter like Torres. I believe I am the future of the lightweight division, and I look forward to showing that.”
Torres will be boxing outside of Mexico for the first time.
“I am very excited that this fight is back on schedule,” Torres said. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to face another unbeaten fighter. I am going to show that I was born for this and that I’m going to do great things in this sport.”
Quick hits
The WBA junior bantamweight title eliminator between John “Scrappy” Ramirez (12-0, 9 KOs), 27, of Los Angeles, and Panama’s Ronal Bautista (15-3, 9 KOs), 26, has been moved to the Alexis Rocha-Giovani Santillan card Oct. 21 (DAZN) at the KIA Forum in Inglewood, California, Golden Boy announced. It was slated for the undercard of the Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez-Joe Smith Jr. WBA cruiserweight title eliminator undercard on Saturday (DAZN) at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. However, the bout was shifted two weeks because of a delay in Bautista obtaining his visa.
Top Rank announced that lightweight prospect Emiliano Vargas, the son of former two-time junior middleweight titlist Fernando Vargas, has been added to the undercard of the Shakur Stevenson-Edwin De Los Santos vacant WBC lightweight title bout Nov. 16 (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, 10:30 p.m. ET) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Vargas (7-0, 6 KOs), 19, of Las Vegas, will face Cristian Olivares (10-0, 5 KOs), 32, of Chile, in a six-rounder on the ESPN+ portion of the preliminary bouts.
Promoter Lou DiBella made official what Fight Freaks Unite recently reported, that former WBO junior lightweight titleholder Jamel Herring (23-4, 11 KOs), 37, a southpaw from Coram, New York, who announced in late July that he would end his retirement, will return against Nick Molina (13-0, 5 KOs), 24, of Lowell, Massachusetts, in an eight-round lightweight bout that will headline a DiBella Entertainment card on Nov. 7 (DAZN, 8 p.m. ET) at the Edison Ballroom in New York. The Veteran’s Day weekend fight will be Herring’s first in 18 months and first with new trainer Wayne McCullough. Herring, who served in Iraq as a U.S. Marine, has lost two fights in a row. The card, dubbed “Heroes On The Hudson,” will begin with five amateur bouts (not on the broadcast), each featuring an NYPD officer or military veteran, followed by four pro bouts. DiBella said event proceeds will go to support Merging Vets and Players and the West Point Society of New York.
Former junior featherweight titlist Isaac Dogboe (24-3, 15 KOs), 29, of Ghana, and Nick Ball (18-0, 11 KOs), 26, of England, will meet in a WBC featherweight eliminator in the co-feature on Nov 18 (ESPN+ in U.S., TNT Sports in U.K.) at AO Arena in Manchester, England, Queensberry Promotions announced. Former world title challenger Denzel Bentley (18-2-1, 15 KOs), 28, of England, defends the British middleweight title versus countryman Nathan Heaney (17-0, 6 KOs), 34, in the main event. Also, Scotland’s Hannah Rankin (13-6, 3 KOs), 33, faces Ema Kozin (23-1-1, 12 KOs), 27, of Slovenia, for the vacant WBC women’s junior middleweight title. “He has been a world champion and has been in with a few world champions so, on paper, he has got more experience, although if I can’t beat him, I won’t be no world champion,” Ball said. Dogboe is coming of a decision loss to Robeisy Ramirez for the vacant WBO featherweight title in April. “Fighting in a WBC world title eliminator against an opponent like Nick Ball is a wonderful opportunity,” Dogboe said. “This fight is about redemption. I haven’t fought on English soil since I turned pro. My passion for boxing started there.”
Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions announced that bantamweight Antonio Vargas (16-1, 9 KOs), 27, of Kissimmee, Florida, a 2016 U.S. Olympian, will defend his regional belt in a 10-rounder against former flyweight titlist Hernan “Tyson” Marquez (47-10-2, 33 KOs), 35, a Mexican southpaw, on the undercard of undisputed women’s featherweight champion Amanda Serrano’s defense against Danila Ramos on Oct. 27 (DAZN) at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida. Marquez has won four fights in a row.
Show and tell
In front of the hometown crowd in London, Anthony Joshua narrowly outpointed Italy’s Roberto Cammarelle to win the 2012 Olympic super heavyweight gold medal for Great Britain. The victory made Joshua an instant star at home, but he took his time before turning pro. He talked to various promoters and eventually signed with Matchroom Boxing, which remains his promoter.
Joshua would go on to become a mega star. He has sold out stadiums time and again, been in a series of huge fights, drawn big numbers on pay-per-view and earned hundreds of millions of dollars while also twice winning the unified heavyweight title. Even coming off back-to-back losses in title fights to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua has won two fights in a row this year and remains at the forefront of boxing with other huge fights possible, be it against Deontay Wilder (a fight long in discussions) or countryman Tyson Fury.
Joshua’s pro debut came 14 months after winning Olympic gold when he knocked out Emanuele Leo (who was 8-0 at the time) in the first round at The O2 in London. The bout was on Oct. 5, 2013 — 10 years ago on Thursday. Here is a program AJ’s pro debut in my collection.
Give the new episode a listen as we break down the Canelo-Charlo PPV card, the seemingly impending demise of Showtime Boxing and much more.
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Photos: Wood-Warrington and Braekhus: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
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Hey Dan, I see that the Harper fight is for the WBA belt and also the Vacant WBO belt. I know there are fewer female fighters so the sanctioning orgs do it out of necessity but do you ever forsee a time when they allow champions from other organizations to be ranked? Given the recent (and upcoming) undisputed title fights it would seem its in everyone's interest including the sanctioning orgs who make big fees with the bigger the fight/purses.
Wood a slight favorite, but a Warrington win would be by no means a shock. Should be a good, entertaining fight, whoever wins.
Warren card has some decent fights on it. Ball could be one to watch. Really good matchmaking to put him in with Dogboe this stage of his career.