Josh Warrington will have the opportunity to avenge his sole professional defeat when he takes on Mauricio Lara at the Emerald Headingley Stadium on September 4, live on DAZN.
Mexico’s Lara pulled off an upset of the year contender when the pair first met back at the SSE Arena in Wembley back in February, ruthlessly stopping ‘the Leeds Warrior’ with a ninth round TKO.
The previously undefeated Warrington’s shock defeat to Lara sent shockwaves through the 126lbs division and brought the former IBF featherweight world champion’s unification plans to a grinding halt.
The rematch is already being billed as a must-win for Warrington but the 30-year-old is confident he can gain revenge over the man they call ‘Bronco’.
“It’s been an up and down period, time for reflection and to reassess myself, said Warrington.
"I’ve watched the first fight a dozen times, I’m mentally and physically prepared for Mauricio. It won’t be the same result, I want revenge. It’s going to be a huge event in Leeds, I can’t wait to get back in there and rewrite the script. It’s nothing personal, just business. September 4th we get back on track to the top.”
“What better way to celebrate the return to normality for boxing than 20,000 passionate Leeds fans at Headingley Stadium. This is the biggest fight of Josh Warrington’s career and this time he has his city behind him in a must win fight that can only be a thriller," said Eddie Hearn.
In the co-main event in Headingley, ‘Bray Bomber’ Katie Taylor will put her undisputed lightweight crown on the line against her IBF mandatory challenger Jennifer Han.
The 35-year-old defends her WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine against the Texan, a six-time national amateur champion and former IBF featherweight champion, and is delighted to be fighting in front of a capacity crowd once again.
"I'm really excited to defend my Titles in front of a live crowd again and especially in Leeds,” said Taylor. “I grew up as a Leeds United fan so it's fantastic to see them back in the Premier League and doing so well again.
“My last few fights have effectively been behind closed doors and it's definitely a strange experience so I think to have crowds back again and outdoors in Leeds will make for a very special atmosphere. I'm back in the US in training camp, working hard and focused on putting in another big performance against a tough and experienced opponent on September 4."
