artinez vs Warrington LIVE!
Josh Warrington will attempt to become a two-time featherweight world champion in front of an adoring hometown crowd tonight.
Leeds’ beloved warrior can regain the IBF title he gave up in frustrating circumstances last year with a second victory over current holder Kiko Martinez, whom he originally beat five years ago at First Direct Arena.
Aside from the title on offer and obvious path to some blockbuster showdowns in one of boxing’s most exciting divisions, Warrington will be desperate to win this evening to get his career back on track after it was derailed in shocking fashion by Mauricio Lara.
However, the vastly experienced Martinez will be eyeing another upset after his stunning knockout of Kid Galahad in November.
Saturday’s undercard saw Maxi Hughes successfully defend his IBO lightweight title, Ebanie Bridges become the women’s IBF bantamweight champion and Dalton Smith continue his impressive rise with another superb victory.
Boxing schedule and results
Kiko Martinez vs Josh Warrington
Ebanie Bridges bt Maria Cecilia Roman
Maxi Hughes bt Ryan Walsh
Dalton Smith bt Ray Moylette
Skye Nicolson bt Bec Connolly
Cory O’Regan bt Jakub Laskowski
Mali Wright bt Luis Palmer
Calum French bt Angelo Turco
Follow Martinez vs Warrington LIVE with Standard Sport’s blog below!
Live updates
Bridges realises world title dream
AND THE NEW!
100-91, 97-93 x2 – all in favour of Bridges! She is now the IBF women’s bantamweight world champion.
Turns out it wasn’t close at all… sorry, folks. I must have been watching a different fight!
Still, 100-91 seems absolutely ludicrous.
It was a much, much closer contest than that.
Roman vs Bridges
An absorbing, furious final round of a terrific fight.
Both women are held aloft by their respective trainers, who each seem confident of victory.
We await the verdict from ringside. This could be close.
Will Ebanie Bridges be declared a world champion, nine fights and three years into her professional career?
Roman vs Bridges
Good work again from Roman to open the penultimate round, but both fighters are still having success on the inside.
This is a gruelling affair now and likely a battle of wills.
You’d have to think Bridges is still ahead on the cards, but it might well be very close as some of these rounds have been tough to score.
Into the final two minutes we go…
Roman vs Bridges
Roman massively ups the work rate in round eight and it pays off.
Her movement is still good and she’s throwing out a massive volume of punches now, having success with the right hand.
So many holes in Bridges’ defence in the second half of the fight and she looks very tired after an impressive opening.
Roman vs Bridges
Bridges is really tiring now, with Roman’s hands a blur when she lets the punches go.
The Australian still carries the greater power, no question, but she’s far easier to hit now as the fatigue sets in.
Roman, by contrast, looks much lighter on her feet and is peppering the challenger with shots as she steps on the gas.
Roman vs Bridges
A better end to the sixth from Roman, who does look efficient when she is willing to let her hands go.
The advice from the champion’s corner is to let the punches fly from here on in, and she certainly obliges at the start of round seven…
Roman vs Bridges
Bridges boxes nicely at range off the back foot to begin round five after advice from Mark Tibbs in the corner.
But we’re quickly back to furious, gruelling action on the inside, with Roman looking to inflict damage to the body but being sharply countered upstairs and lacking power.
Bridges still landing the far more eye-catching punches during those exchanges, of which there have been plenty.
Roman vs Bridges
Plenty of punches flying in from Bridges during a furious and action-packed two minutes there, but she’s feeling the pace already midway through round four.
Roman is having success when she lets the hands go, with hooks and big overhand lefts finding the target for both fighters.
Some brutal close exchanges in the fourth, with plenty landing from each woman.
Entertaining stuff so far.
Roman vs Bridges
A decent start to the third from Bridges, who rattles in a couple of heavy, well-worked combinations on the inside. Hooks and uppercuts to body and head find their mark.
But Roman begins to come out of her shell as she switches up the gameplan, trading before the bell and having the better of those late exchanges.
You’d probably still give it to Bridges, who will be 3-0 up on most scorecards.
Roman vs Bridges
Roman is happy for the majority of the fight to take place on the inside, but she’s mostly just timidly tucking up and not letting the punches go.
Bridges is having much the better of those close-range exchanges, utilising her greater power and snapping in a couple of jolting uppercuts.
Some solid work to both head and body from the Australian, who has good variety.
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