JOSH WARRIGNTON has agreed terms for a unification bout against Chinese champion Can Xu at Leeds’ Headingley Stadium.
IBF featherweight champion Warrington – who beat Lee Selby and Carl Frampton in 2018 – re-signed with promoter Eddie Hearn in a bid to unify his belt before making a splash Stateside.
Josh Warrington has agreed terms to face Can Xu in a unificationCredit: Getty
The Chinese star is the WBA ‘Regular’ champion while Warrington owns the IBF title
And in an Instagram live discussion, the pair revealed WBA ‘Regular’ champion Xu – who threw a staggering 1562 punches in his last defence against Manny Robles III – has agreed to put his secondary world title on the line against the Leeds hero.
Hearn said: “We have agreed to terms with Can Xu to have that big fight for you in the summer hopefully. WBA Super title on the line hopefully, and the IBF and Ring Magazine belt.”
Warrington added: “It’ll be a barnstormer. When you look at all the other fighters.
“You know with Can Xu, as soon as the bell rings, he runs out to the centre of the ring and he’s throwing punches. I like to do that as well.
“We want to be part of memorable fights. That’s all I want to be a part of. If you can imagine how massive stadium fight with a mad atmosphere.”
We have agreed to terms with Can Xu to have that big fight for you in the summer hopefully. WBA Super title on the line hopefully, and the IBF and Ring Magazine belt
Promoter Eddie Hearn
Leo Santa Cruz is still currently the WBA’s world champion, but he has since moved up to super-featherweight, winning the same belt there, meaning the governing body could strip him of the 126lb strap and promote Xu.
Warrington, 30, had been in talks to face rising star and WBO champ Shakur Stevenson, and Hearn revealed the young American and long-standing WBC king Garry Russell Jr are targeted opponents for the Brit next year.
Hearn said: “I want to talk about Gary Russell. We’ve had multiple conversations. Literally, the three fights were discussing were Shakur Stevenson, Can Xu, and Gary Russell as well.
“One fight you really fancied and you would have fought all of them, but you really fancied that Gary Russell fight, didn’t you?
“For me, that might be the most dangerous of those fights, but you fancy you’ve got the beating of him.”
Warrington, unbeaten in 30 fights, responded: “Sometimes fighters get a feeling and you’ve just got a good feeling. Just like the Lee Selby fight, I saw a lot of things that I thought I could expose. I see them with Gary Russell Jr.
“He’s a great fighter with a lot of speed, but he’s there for the taking. He’s got the green and gold melt.
“I’d love that fight. It would be a massive scalp, but the Can Xu fight would be an excellent one as well.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
