Josh Warrington has today vacated his IBF world featherweight title after the IBF refused to sanction his proposed unification fight in April. Earlier this month, the proposed clash with Xu Can was delayed with a new working date of April 24. Matchroom will now look to finalize that fight or make a giant match up with WBC king Gary Russell.
Why would the IBF reject the fight? Normally they only recognize unifications with the WBA’s top world champions. Leo Santa Cruz still holds the WBA featherweight “super” title, whereas Can Xu holds the regular WBA featherweight belt.
“It’s so important for Josh to be in a mega fight after Lara on February 13,” said Matchroom Sport Managing Director Eddie Hearn. “He has his heart set on the Ring belt and it’s up to us to make the Can or Russell fights for April or early May. I’ve been working hard with Robert Diaz of Golden Boy to close Xu Can and also had several conversations with Luis De Cubas regarding a Gary Russell bout – both fights are Fight of the Year contenders.”
“It’s disappointing we couldn’t have the IBF title on the line, but I can’t let those decisions stand in the way of me going down in British boxing history by facing the very best in the division,” said Warrington. “I’ve always dreamt about winning the Ring belt, for me it leaves no doubt who the king of the division is. Right now, my mind and focus is on Lara for February 13 and then I’m looking to pick up that beautiful red and blue belt.”
Warrington will face Mauricio Lara on Saturday February 13 live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.
I don’t know who warrington is but good for him. The boxers are the reason these organizations exist not the other way around.
Unfortunately he may’ve lost his leverage for the Russell fight. Given the schedule he keeps, virtually every time he fights, Russell is due a mandatory and the WBC just set Rey Vargas as the 2021 installment of Gary Russell Jr. MAYBE he would have come out twice this year for a unification, but I can’t see him doing it for some former champion and a shot at the Ring belt and surely the WBC won’t let Warrington leap over Vargas for it. Hopefully I’m wrong though.
I just don’t think Warrington was too keen on having to face his own mandatory, Kid Galahad, again and I don’t blame him. Galahad – Dickens rematch for the vacant belt.
yea the organizations have just become too corrupt with their last second ranking shake ups and BS politics and multiple world champions in the same divisions has just shown us all its a big ass money grab/circus