Josh Warrington was taken to hospital after suffering a suspected fractured jaw and broken hand in his world title victory over Kiko Martinez.
Warrington dominated the Spanish champion from the first bell, dropping him in the opening round before the fight was stopped in the seventh. In winning back the belt, Warrington becomes a two-time champion having relinquished the title 15 months ago.
He went on to be brutally knocked out by Mauricio Lara before their rematch was halted in the second round with the Mexican badly cut. He was handed a surprise shot at redemption when Martinez KO'd Kiko Galahad last November and opted to defend his belt against Warrington.
And the Leeds man proved his critics wrong with a whirlwind display in front of his raucous army of fans, catapulting back to the top of his weight division and putting a wretched 2021 behind him in style. A vicious right hook landed flush on Martinez’s chin and sent him to the canvas in the opening round. He rose to his feet after a count of eight before a cut opened up above his left eye, close to his nose.
The defending champion came under serious pressure in the second round as the Leeds crowd roared Warrington on to what they hoped would be an early victory. But Martinez proved he is as tough as a walnut. He weathered the storm and looked to get back in the fight as Warrington eased off the pedal.
Who should Josh Warrington fight next? Let us know in the comments section below
Warrington had his opponent on the ropes again in the fourth round and a series of pumping rights in the fifth cranked the arena back up to full volume. Martinez was slow to come out for the sixth as his cut eye was tended to and ended the round nodding in appreciation after being caught by another ramrod right at the end of it.
Warrington sensed it was his time and hurled himself at the Spaniard at the start of the seventh, trapping him on the ropes and pummelling him to a standstill before the referee stepped in to end the fight. The winner struggled through his post-fight injury before being taken to hospital for precautionary checks.
