Josh Warrington allowing zero room for complacency against Mauricio Lara

The ‘Leeds Warrior’ will enter the squared circle for the first time since October 2019, when he knocked out Frenchman Sofiane Takoucht inside two rounds.

Warrington revealed that his camp had branded 2020 as the ‘year of unification’ but his featherweight clash with Can Xu never went ahead, largely due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

There will be no belt on the line when Warrington touches gloves with Lara at Wembley Arena but he knows a loss will kick his hopes of fighting the best in the division further down the road.

He may have even overestimated Lara during his preparations but insists there is nothing wrong with covering all the bases.

“If I get beat, you are not looking at the big unification fights anymore. I have worked too hard over the years for that to happen,” he said.

“There is a massive carrot dangling right in front of me, in that if I get through this fight then there could potentially be an even bigger one waiting.

“All this week, my head has been focused on Lara. I have not stopped watching clips of him and obsessing over his record and his fighting style.

“I have been searching pictures of him on Google to get his image in my head. Ultimately, it is him who is trying to stop me this Saturday night.

“There is the risk of getting a bit complacent and thinking it is going to be a given and that is when things can go wrong.

“You don’t want to get three rounds deep and think, ‘this is not what I expected.’

“But if I have got a monster in my head and the fight is easier then that is a bonus. If the fight is tough, then at least I have prepared for it.”

Warrington feels he is in the best shape of his career as he aims to take his professional record to 31-0. He brought in a new strength and conditioning coach last year and feels he has been smarter with his preparations ahead of his long-awaited return.

“I have had about a 15-month training camp when it is normally about 12 weeks,” chuckled Warrington.

“We have done things a little bit different. I am 30 now, it is not like I am a little whippersnapper anymore. When I was last with Matchroom, I was 24, I wasn’t even married and didn’t have any kids.

“Things have changed a little bit, I’m married, I have kids and some grey hairs. We have just been smarter, we enrolled a new strength and conditioning coach last year.

“I feel fantastic. I am in good condition and I feel really good. Everything is on record; my sparring, my running and my fitness - it is all through the roof. It is about doing it under the lights now.”

Saturday will be the first time that Warrington has fought without his legion of fans cheering him on with supporters still banned from sporting events due to Covid-19.

He added: “It is going to be a little different.

“People are going to be watching from their living rooms and I am sure they will be shouting and cheering.

“I have had fans who have not missed a fight in years. I have had fans who have been there since I have been winning titles since 2012.

“The fans might be a little bit anxious but it is my job to entertain them and keep the winning record going and keep the big fights alive.”

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