Boxing

A civil war: Wood and Warrington swap trash talk for respect before Battle of Britain

LEIGH WOOD and Josh Warrington are chasing very totally different targets forward of their battle on October 7.

The two British featherweights will meet for Wood’s WBA strap on the Utilita Arena in Sheffield. Both fighters are properly supported, and the venue will possible be crammed with 50 per cent Wood followers and 50 per cent Warrington. Throw of their hyperlinks to their favorite soccer golf equipment Nottingham Forest and Leeds United and you might have a recipe for a crackling ambiance and a doubtlessly busy evening for the safety staff.

Earlier at this time in Leeds the primary of two press conferences passed off with the second occurring in Nottingham later this night. The two groups had been respectful all through each acknowledging one another’s achievements and character.

The winner of the October 7 encounter will hope to attain one thing that has been on their minds for a while.

“It’s a fight I must win,” Wood mentioned.

“My dream fight’s around the corner. I told a few people I weren’t gonna sign this fight unless I had that clause in there. I don’t want to go into details because it’s confidential, but that City Ground clause is in there. I need to beat Josh Warrington [on] October 7.”

A devoted fan of Nottingham Forest Wood has lengthy dreamed of combating outside at one of English soccer’s historic venues. Wood, who celebrates his 35th birthday at this time and obtained a cake from Warrington in the course of the presser, hoped that his battle in opposition to ‘The Leeds Warrior’ would happen on the City Ground. However, with the kick-off of the Premier League across the nook his desires had been quickly ended. The membership’s homeowners expressed issues concerning the state of the pitch after a boxing occasion whereas within the center of a season.

‘Leigh-thal’ spoke of his struggles whereas making an attempt to land a breakthrough battle a few years in the past. Perseverance and work ethic has turned a tragic story right into a profitable one. Wood now takes motivation from having labored so laborious to show his profession round.

“There’s so much on the line for me, I’ve worked too hard,” Wood mentioned.

“I’ve come from rock bottom to get here. I’m one fight away. It’s always the next fight is the City Ground. It’s in there, it’s in writing. The next fight’s the City Ground.”

Warrington is used to being at or close to the highest of the featherweight division. In the final 5 years Lee Selby, Carl Frampton, Kid Galahad and Kiko Martinez have all misplaced to the Yorkshireman. The 32-year-old is seeking to change into a three-time title holder at 126lbs. Last trip Luis Alberto Lopez simply bought the higher of him before occurring to emphatically beat Michael Conlan.

Winning a belt for a 3rd time has been caught in his head in line with Warrington. And the dream of combating in America stays for himself and his military of followers from Leeds who make him one of the best-supported fighters in Britain.

“It’s been 10 years we’ve been headlining shows and they still following me like it’s my first one,” Warrington mentioned paying tribute to his fanbase.

“They nonetheless imagine I will be again on cease, they nonetheless imagine we will have these huge away days within the States so that they’re totally behind me and they’re licking their lips on the away day all the way down to Sheffield so it’s gonna be a hell of a ambiance. This is a enterprise but it surely’s additionally drama and that is what persons are going to be tuning into. They’re going to see a loud ambiance, they wish to see two lads going at it within the ring and October 7 that’s what we’re gonna see, fireworks.

“Got full respect for Leigh. I shook his hand back in February after the Lara defeat and said to him we’ll fight eventually and we’re here. It’s an opportunity to get myself back on top and I only see myself winning and my hand being raised.”

Their face-off mirrored half one of their press tour. Civil, smiles, just a few phrases and then on the finish a handshake. On October 7 although they are going to look to inflict as a lot harm on each other to fulfil their ambitions.


Source link

Related Articles

Back to top button