Kiko Martínez (43-10-2, 30 KO) already has his first goal as champion. On November 13, he gave one of the joys of the year to the Spanish fans by knocking out Kid Gallahad and was proclaimed world champion in his second division.
“I have two fights left, the ones I have left with Matchroom that I will do in 2022“, said the Elche in AS. At 35, the IBF monarch of the feather, wants to retire as champion and the first step will be the March 26th.
Kiko will travel to Leeds to resolve outstanding accounts with Josh Warrington (30-1-1, 7 KO), as confirmed today by Matchroom along with the rest of the billboards for the start of the year (the announcement was scheduled for before Christmas, but the new covid restrictions in the UK postponed everything). The 31-year-old Englishman was Martinez’s opponent in May 2017.
“I won that fight. They stole it from me,” Spanish has always maintained. The result was unfair, and it slowed him down. On the other hand, Warrington opened bigger doors and after defeating the former continental champion Dennis Ceylan the option of the World Cup came to him.
He added four to honors (IBF featherweight) and left it vacant to go after Gary Russell. He had a transitional fight against Maurico Lara, who knocked him out in nine rounds. Last September, Leeds had a rematch against the Mexican, but the fight ended in two rounds after an accidental header. Now, he’s going for another sequel.
The lawsuit motivates Kiko Martínez a lot, since he wants to close accounts from the past. Warrington does not arrive at his best moment, but his quality is undoubted: es one of the most talented in the category. For its part, the Spaniard knows that he is only worth winning to make one last fight with a bag according to his legend.
He would like to fight in Spain, but “he will go where it is necessary if it pays off economically,” he reflected after being champion. Leeds is the first stop as a monarch. He has the rematch he asked for five years ago.