Josh Warrington reveals his next two possible fights ahead of Kiko Martinez showdown

Since Josh Warrington vacated his featherweight title 14 months ago, the division he has called home for his entire professional career has been turned on its head.

The 31-year-old will look to secure his place at the top of the table once again when he takes on old warhorse Kiko Martinez for a second time back home in Leeds on Saturday, challenging for the same IBF belt he relinquished last year.

Warrington has endured a tough run since then, suffering that career-first defeat to the heavy-handed Mexican Mauricio Lara in February 2021. The rematch seven months later provided no closure, ending in a no contest following a clash of heads early in the contest.

While Warrington sought revenge against Lara, new kings emerged at 126lbs. Leigh Wood stunned Xu Can to win the WBA ‘regular’ belt last summer, cementing his standing in the division with an unforgettable knockout win over Michael Conlan in Nottingham two weeks ago.

In January, long-reigning WBC king Gary Russell Jr was dethroned by Mark Magsayo, who ended the American’s seven-year rule as champion.

Perhaps the most remarkable of them all was the return of Martinez to the summit of the division. The 35-year-old rolled back the years to deliver a devastating knockout win over Kid Galahad last November with his first title defence coming against Warrington this weekend – five years on from their first meeting.

It’s a reunion the Leeds man didn’t consider for one second when plotting his route back to the top.

‘There was not a chance I thought Kiko would be here at the top of the division,’ Warrington told Metro.co.uk.

‘People were saying back then [in 2017] that Kiko Martinez is finished, Kiko Martinez has seen better days, Kiko Martinez has been around too long. But