Who will Josh Warrington fight next? Leigh Wood, Leo Santa Cruz and Emanuel Navarrete among potential options

Josh Warrington is a world champion again and his sensational victory over Kiko Martinez on Saturday night has opened up some exciting opportunites.

Promoter Eddie Hearn admitted after the triumph that it would be hard to deter Warrington from fighting in America and he is confident the Leeds Warrior could bring more than 10,000 fans with him across the Atlantic Ocean.

The 31-year-old’s ambition is to fight in a featherweight unification bout with Hearn looking at options in Las Vegas or New York. There is an opportunity closer to home against WBA champion Leigh Wood in what would be one of the biggest all-British contests in years.

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It will be a while before Warrington gets back in the gym after he had surgery on a broken jaw on Sunday, an injury which he sustained during his victory over Martinez at the Leeds Arena.

JOSH WARRINGTON: Won the IBF featherweight title on Saturday night. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.JOSH WARRINGTON: Won the IBF featherweight title on Saturday night. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
JOSH WARRINGTON: Won the IBF featherweight title on Saturday night. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.

With plenty of fights to be made for later this year, we took a look at six potential options for Warrington...

Leo Santa Cruz

The WBA ‘super’ featherweight champion has held the belt at 126 pounds since January 2017 but has only defended it three times, with his last defense coming over three years ago.

He believes he is at his best at featherweight and plans to return to the division following a unanimous decision victory over Keenan Carbajal in the 130-pound category in early February.

LEO SANTA CRUZ: Is the WBA super featherweight champion. Picture: Getty Images.LEO SANTA CRUZ: Is the WBA super featherweight champion. Picture: Getty Images.
LEO SANTA CRUZ: Is the WBA super featherweight champion. Picture: Getty Images.
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Santa Cruz, 33, has spoken of his desire to unify at featherweight, making the Warrington fight an option for the Mexican. He has just two career losses in 41 fights, with 38 wins and one draw.

Half of his victories have come by way of knockout. His next fight has to be at featherweight or the WBA will likely strip him of his belt.

Emmanuel Navarette

Ranked number one by the Ring Magazine, the 27-year-old is hailed by many as the best featherweight in the division. The WBO champion won the belt in October 2020 and has made two successful defences since, with the latest one coming with a unanimous decision win over Joet Gonzalez in October.

LEIGH WOOD: Could face Josh Warrington at Nottingham Forest's City Ground stadium. Picture: Getty Images.LEIGH WOOD: Could face Josh Warrington at Nottingham Forest's City Ground stadium. Picture: Getty Images.
LEIGH WOOD: Could face Josh Warrington at Nottingham Forest's City Ground stadium. Picture: Getty Images.

Warrington is currently ranked fifth by Ring Magazine and with both men in the top five, a contest between the two could see the IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine belts put on the line. With five world champions in the featherweight division, the Ring Magazine title is seen as the one which signifies the best boxer in the weight class.

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If that belt was to be on the line, it could be more than enough to tempt both fighters to face other.

Leigh Wood

Warrington is keen on a fight in America but a potential meeting with WBA regular champion Leigh Wood could be tempting.

REMATCH? A third fight with Mauricio Lara, right, could be a possibility for Warrington. Picture: Getty Images.REMATCH? A third fight with Mauricio Lara, right, could be a possibility for Warrington. Picture: Getty Images.
REMATCH? A third fight with Mauricio Lara, right, could be a possibility for Warrington. Picture: Getty Images.

A contest between the two would be held at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground and Hearn is confident that both men would bring 20,000 fans each to the stadium. Wood won the WBA belt against Can Xu before defending it in a thrilling contest against Michael Conlan, as he knocked the Irishman out in the 12th round.

A bout between Warrington and Wood would attract plenty of interest, especially in the UK, but it is only likely to happen next if the Leeds Warrior does not fight in America. However, it should certainly not be ruled out for further down the road.

Mark Magsayo

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The 26-year-old from the Philippines is the only undefeated champion in the featherweight division, with a perfect record after 24 professional outings.

He claimed the WBC belt from Gary Russell Junior in January.

Of the four other champions Warrington could face next, Magsayo is the most unlikely as he will defend the WBC crown for the first time against Rey Vargas in Texas at the beginning of July.

Despite his current commitments, Magsayo has been one of the options mentioned by Warrington’s trainer and father Sean O’Hagan when discussing their next move.

Mauricio Lara

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The Mexican is the only man Warrington hasn’t beaten throughout his professional career. He admitted before facing Martinez that he had unfinished business with Lara after losing and then drawing with the 24-year-old.

Lara does not have a world title but is ranked third in the IBF and Ring Magazine rankings. He is keen to fight Warrington again after feeling “passed over” for a shot at the IBF belt as Martinez expressed his desire to fight Warrington after winning the title in November.

A contest with Lara might not be ideal, given he doesn’t currently have a world title, but with his last bout being held in California, it could give Warrington the fight in America that he craves.

Luis Alberto Lopez

The 28-year-old Mexican is the IBF mandatory challenger for Warrington’s featherweight title.

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Given he is the least-known name among the options for Warrington, it is only likely to happen if a unification fight or a third bout with Lara is not sanctioned.

With 24 wins and two defeats in 26 bouts, Lopez has fought across numerous weight classes, going as high as welterweight at one point. In his most recent fight, he handed Lancashire’s Isaac Lowe his first career defeat with a knockout win at York Hall in early December. Lopez is based in Mexico but has fought in the USA several times.

The options are exciting for Warrington, and if he is able to unify the division he could be remembered as one of Britain’s all-time greats.

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