Kiko Martinez vs Josh Warrington 2 – Results & Post-Fight Report

Josh Warrington became a two-time IBF featherweight champion, as he delighted his home crowd at the First Direct Arena in Leeds with a seventh round stoppage of Kiko Martinez

Warrington had previously served as IBF champion, but gave the belt up in search of bigger fights, and came unstuck last year when stopped by the hard punching Mauricio Lara, who handed him his first professional defeat. There was more frustration for Warrington in the rematch, with the fight stopped after two rounds, and ruled a technical draw after Lara was cut. Martinez was coming into this one in an Indian Summer of his career, and he took the belt with a stunning stoppage win over Kid Galahad last November in Sheffield. The two had met way back in May 2017, where Warrington took a majority decision win.

Warrington flew out the traps, and rained a barrage of punches down on the shellshocked Spaniard, and landed a knockdown with a well-timed right hand. The home favourite was completely dominant, and was moving Martinez all over the ring in round two, but the visitor stemmed the tide somewhat in round three, landing with some shots of his own. Warrington showed much more discipline in the fourth, but by round five, Martinez had suffered a cut eye, and although he battled bravely, finding a home with body shots in round six, but the seventh saw the end to the action, as Warrington went for the kill, landing with several unanswered blows until the referee intervened to crown him world champion once again, and sparked jubilant scenes.

On the undercard, Maxi Hughes made a successful first defence of his IBO lightweight title, dominating in a wide points win against Ryan Walsh. Scores of 120-108, 119-109 and 118-110 continued the Cinderella man type story for Hughes, as he goes from strength to strength.

Fan favourite Ebanie Bridges realised a dream of becoming world champion, as the Australian took the IBF bantamweight title from Maria Cecilia Roman, who had served as champion since the summer of 2017. Bridges put in a controlled performance, and took the win by scores of 100-91, and two tallies of 97-93.

Dalton Smith claimed the vacant WBC International silver super lightweight title by stopping Ray Moylette in the tenth and final round of their clash. Smith was deducted two points for a low blow in the seventh, but the Irishman was dropped twice in the final round, the first from a big left, and then a sweetly times left hand counter had him on the deck again, before his corner threw in the towel.

Skye Nicholson made it two wins from two, taking all six rounds against the ever dependable Bec Connolly in their featherweight encounter.

Calum French scored his first early win, as the former Team GB star stopped Angell Turco in three rounds at super lightweight.

Cory O’Regan moved to 6-0, with the super lightweight taking all six rounds against Jakub Lasowski. Light heavyweight Mali Wright stayed unbeaten, as he edged Luis Palmer by a single point, 39-38.