JOSH WARRINGTON was pulled apart from Saturday night rematch nemesis Maurico Lara when the fight threatened to start a day early.
Last February, in an empty and silent Wembley arena, the Leeds ace was stunned by a brutal knockout loss to the unknown Mexican.
On Saturday night, there will be 20,000 screaming fans packed into Headingley, backing their hero for a revenge mission.
And, at Friday’s lunchtime weigh-in, around 600 diehard supporters found the time off work to pile down to The New Dock hall and scream their man onto the scales.
The 30-year-old had no problem making the 9st limit and kicked off the intimidation campaign backed by his legion of fans.
After scaling 125lbs the 30-1 ace roared into his audience like a man possessed and got too close for the visitor’s liking, before Lara shoved him back and security dived in.
He said: “It’s good to be back, it’s nice of everyone to turn up and nice to see there’s going to be a big crowd on Saturday night – it feels normal.
“This is what I got used to, I got used to this big stage ever since I won the world title. I’ve been looking forward to this for such a long time.
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“Going back to normality, going back to a stadium, having people in the crowd – they’re my second wind, my adrenaline, my twelfth man, that little advantage.
“They’re part of Josh Warrington’s attributes, it’s going to be special to walk out, I’ll give them redemption.”
Meanwhile on Warrington’s undercard, Conor Benn is looking to move to 19-0 as he takes on Mexican Adrian Granados.
Benn crushed Covid-19 to make his welterweight limit for Saturday’s Adrian Granados clash.
The 24-year-old fans’ favourite was supposed to fight the American on July 31 but the bout was KOed by a positive test for the son of British ring legend Nigel.
The heavy-handed ace only needed a couple of days rest and was back in Tony Sims’ gym smashing personal bests.
And the father of eight-month-old son Eli must have stayed painfully close to the 10st 7lbs limit for all of August to cruise under 147lbs in Leeds.
After stripping off to hit the scales at 146lbs the tattooed banger gave his respected rival one final threatening stare.
He said: “It will be a serious ruck or someone is getting laid out. And it won’t be me.
“People might mistake my confidence for arrogance but I’m the one up at 3am running so I have the right to be confident.
“Granados has been in with the top dogs of the welterweight division so he is a massive test.”
Benn made his professional debut in 2016 as a raw 19-year-old on a huge Anthony Joshua undercard.
And he has had his critics labelling him a novelty act, thanks to his fighting genes.
But 18 wins into his all-action career he feels he has proved he is the real deal and cannot wait to thrill 20,000 fans at Headingley.
“All these people arrive thinking I am all hype and I am here to show them,” he said.
“I am five years of hard work, not five minutes. It hasn’t come overnight.
“I think this will top my O2 debut because I have had a mad Leeds welcome.
“It’s been so good I might even enjoy a beer in the pub afterwards with everyone.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
