Kiko Martinez vs Josh Warrington: We believe Martinez can make the knockout

On March 26 in Leeds, UK, IBF featherweight champion Kiko Martinez and former titleholder Josh Warrington will meet in the ring.

The fighters have met before, with Warrington winning on home turf by majority decision in May 2017.

Martinez won the title last November 13th, knocking out Britain’s Kid Galahad in the sixth round. Galahad kept on beating Martinez for the first four rounds, but at the end of the fifth round, he took such a heavy beating that he was knocked to the canvas. He lost his feet and had no time to recover between rounds. In the sixth second of the sixth round, Martinez finished him off for good. That’s how he became the sudden champion, thanks to a single punch.

Warrington has faced Mexican Mauricio Lara in his last two fights. In their first clash, taken on February 13 last year, Lara won by TKO in the ninth round. The rematch took place in September and the fight was ruled a stoppage because of a head-to-head bruise on the Mexican.

Any opponent at this level is always dangerous. I have to be very focused as we saw what Martinez did in the fight with Galahad. That fight showed that if there is an underestimation on my part, I can also be knocked out. Over time, people’s timing, speed, reactions fade, but punching power doesn’t go anywhere. I learned that better than anyone else 18 months ago. Watch my first fight with Lara. I felt confident. I didn’t notice my opponent at times, but it ended with a stoppage in the ninth round. I don’t want something like that to happen again. I won’t let it happen.

Josh Warrington

Warrington certainly looks at the more trained boxer, but a punch from Martinez, as it turns out, cannot be ruled out in any way. The problem for Josh is compounded because he needs to maintain maximum concentration throughout the fight. He’s never been a knockout artist himself, which leaves his opponents free to do whatever they want.

I’m quite open to the idea that Martinez could knock out Warrington, although analysts think otherwise. The odds on Martinez are 3.75, while the odds on Warrington are just 1.27.

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