Josh Warrington has announced that Luke Ayling will be joining him for his ring walk ahead of his rematch fight with Kiko Martinez on Saturday. The featherweight boxer nicknamed ‘The Leeds Warrior’ is maintaining his tradition of having Leeds United icons as part of his pre-fight routine.
Ayling joins a list of past and present Whites players including Pablo Hernandez, Liam Cooper, Vinnie Jones and Lucas Radebe to join Warrington for his ring walk ahead of Saturday night’s highly-anticipated rematch at the First Direct Arena. The boxer confirmed on Instagram on Wednesday morning that the right-back will be involved.
A picture of Ayling with the Matchroom and DAZN branding was paired with a caption that read: “More reasons to go F’ MENTAL, Bill’s on the ring walk. It’s become tradition to have another sporting great from my city of Leeds, chuffed to have Luke Ayling this Saturday.”
Read more: Josh Warrington wants to give Marcelo Bielsa ‘proper send-off’ if he beats Kiko Martinez
Warrington was the victor when he last met Martinez in the ring in 2017 as he won on points after the fight went the distance. A win for the Leeds Warrior on Saturday would see him become a two-time world champion as his Spanish opponent claimed the IBF Featherweight title back in November.
In the build-up to the fight, Warrington claimed that he wants to honour recently-departed Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa if he wins. He told the Mirror : “It would have been a huge honour to have him there on Saturday.
"But I have nothing for him to carry this time. He’d just be walking out alongside me. If I was to win the belt it’d be a huge honour to have him there next time. Just to have him back and give him a proper send-off, whether it meant him getting in the ring before or after the fight, it would be brilliant, so let’s see what happens.”
Before Warrington worries about being able to convince Bielsa into joining him for his next ring walk, he needs to get the job done against Martinez. He will once again be supported by a raucous home crowd who will be desperate to see him get back to winning ways after his rematch with Mauricio Lara back in September was called a draw following a dangerous cut to the Mexican’s eye.
