Josh Warrington

Josh Warrington was born on November 14, 1990, in Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Known as a hometown hero, he earned the nickname “Leeds Warrior” for proudly representing his city on the international stage. In 2018, he captured the IBF featherweight title at Elland Road Football Ground in front of a passionate Leeds crowd, cementing his legacy locally. Outside the ring, Warrington pursued higher education, earning a degree from the University of Leeds in 2013. He followed in the footsteps of his father and trainer, Sean O’Hagan, who introduced him to boxing. From his earliest amateur contests, Warrington was recognized for his tireless work ethic and high-energy fighting style.

Warrington turned professional in 2009 and quickly built a strong following in Britain, compiling an impressive 29-fight unbeaten run. His relentless pace, durability, and ability to overwhelm opponents defined his reign as IBF Featherweight Champion. In February 2021, however, he suffered the first loss of his professional career when Mauricio Lara stopped him in a major upset. The pair met again later that year, but their rematch ended in a draw. Warrington rebounded by reclaiming the IBF title with a TKO victory over Kiko Martinez in March 2022, before losing the belt to Luis Alberto Lopez in December 2022.

In 2023, Warrington faced fellow Brit Leigh Wood in a high-profile showdown in Sheffield. The bout proved dramatic and physical, with Warrington deducted a point in the seventh round for rabbit punches before being dropped by a combination. The referee waved off the contest in the seventh round, handing Warrington a TKO defeat. He later moved up in weight to challenge Anthony Cacace for the IBO super featherweight title at Wembley Stadium in September 2024 but was defeated by unanimous decision over twelve rounds.

Josh returned to winning ways in April 2025 with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Asad Asif Khan in Sheffield. He dropped Khan in the sixth round, and Khan was also deducted a point for repeatedly losing his gum shield. The convincing win demonstrated that Warrington remained competitive and determined to continue pursuing major opportunities.

Josh Warrington is not known for dwelling on the past but for bouncing back from the toughest losses and heart-wrenching decisions. While setbacks are part of life, he remains a top contender in the flyweight division. Warrington is known for his warrior mentality and exciting fights, with quick turnarounds. His determination to become an undisputed champion inspires not only his British fan base but also his fellow champions.

Warrington is a textbook guard artist who often uses his right hand to parry straight punches, even in cases of mistiming his left hand. He keeps his hands tightly tucked, a tactic many boxing experts refer to as "holding the phone," with his hands and elbows tucked to protect his face and rib cage to avoid hooks or straights. Warrington excels at ducking under hooks and then coming back up top, unleashing powerful straight shots. He also employs rolls to avoid hooks and uses the momentum to transition into powerful straight shots. Similar to a young Prince Naseem, he flexes his knees, akin to a level-changing college wrestler, to avoid punches.

Josh has a talent for switching angles while moving backward and forward, landing damaging hooks that can slow down his opponents for the rest of the fight. This allows Warrington to secure many of his decision victories.