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| Josh Warrington beat Kiko Martinez in 2017 on points. (Photo from BBC) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] Britain's Josh Warrington will have the chance to become a two-time world champion when he takes on IBF featherweight champion Kiko Martinez in Leeds on 26 March. BBC said that Martinez beat Kid Galahad to claim the belt at the age of 35 in a huge upset last November, and Galahad has decided against triggering a rematch clause.
Warrington defeated Martinez in 2017 on his way to becoming world champion but vacated the belt his Spanish rival currently holds a year ago. Boxing was suspended in January because of Covid-19 but is set to return in February. Matchroom announced a host of fights in February and March which will see Liam Smith, John Ryder, Lawrence Okolie, Michael McKinnon, Leigh Wood and Michael Conlan return to action.
Liverpool's Smith travels to the US to fight two-weight champion Jessie Vargas on 5 February, Ryder will have home advantage in London against former world champion Daniel Jacobs on 12 February, Okolie defends his WBO cruiserweight title on 27 February, and undefeated McKinson fights American star Vergil Ortiz Jr before a huge domestic fight between WBA featherweight champion Wood and challenger Conlan in Nottingham on 26 March. Matchroom confirmed Mexican Jaime Munguia's middleweight fight against D'Mitrius Ballard has been rescheduled for 19 February, having originally been set for April 2021.
