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Nick Parkinson
Josh Warrington is becoming one of the U.K.’s most popular boxers and on Saturday makes a second defence of his IBF world featherweight title against English rival Kid Galahad at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, which will be streamed live on ESPN+ in the U.S.. Here ESPN gives you an insight into Warrington’s life outside of the ring.
The Tooth Fairy
Warrington worked part-time as a dental technician earlier in his career, earning him the nickname ‘The Tooth Fairy’. The joke went that he made dentures by day, then worked at knocking out teeth at boxing training in the evening.
“If I had a pound for every time I heard something like ‘he knocks out teeth at night and makes new ones in the morning’ I would be a millionaire,” Warrington told ESPN last year.
Warrington, who left school at 16 with 11 GCSEs and turned professional in 2009, made gumshields, whitening trays, crowns, veneers and false teeth.
It was a busy time for Warrington, who also juggled a university course — a diploma in dental technology — with his boxing career and part-time job.
“Between being 19 and 23 years old it was solid,” said Warrington. “I was working during the day, studying at university with assignments at the same time, training five days a week, trying to sell tickets and promote myself as well as trying to have a normal life and seeing my now wife.
“I was still a dental technician until I was European champion. It’s unheard of. The delivery guys were coming into work saying I saw you on telly at the weekend and I was still working three days a week, 9 to 5.”
Family life
Warrington’s father and trainer Sean O’Hagan is a wise-cracking figure who has masterminded his son’s rise to the world featherweight elite.
What is remarkable is that O’Hagan never had any boxing experience until he started helping out with his son’s training and corner.
O’Hagan claims he came up with the plan of beating Carl Frampton in December while smoking and sitting on the toilet.
“Nobody thought we would get to this stage,” Warrington told ESPN last year. “People were saying I should change my trainer to get to the next level. But why change it if it’s not broken?
“He’s a pain in the a– sometimes, but I do love him. When we win it’s going to be special moment for the family.”
O’Hagan brought up Warrington and his two brothers, one of which has special needs, as a single parent after the boxer’s parents divorced. Warrington also has a sister who is autistic.
Before fighting for the world title last year, Warrington said: “I have always talked about building an empire because I am the eldest out of my three brothers, I’ve got a brother with special needs and I’ve got a sister who is autistic as well. I know that maybe down later in life they might need some help and I’d love to be in a position to be able to financially help them in life as well as my own immediate family.”
Warrington and his wife Natasha have twin girls, born a few weeks before he won the world title from Welshman Lee Selby in May last year.
Leeds, Leeds, Leeds
Warrington fulfilled two dreams in one night when he lifted the world title with a points win over Selby, as the fight was also staged at Elland Road, home of his beloved Leeds United soccer club. Leeds band Kaiser Chiefs even played ‘I predict a riot’ as Warrington walked to the ring and former Leeds United players have even walked him to the ring for fights.
Warrington was inspired that night, and surprised many when he outboxed the skilful Selby in front of 20,000 of his home city fans.
Just like when Ricky Hatton captured the love and loyalty of his home city fans in Manchester, Lancashire, when he lifted the IBF world super lightweight title 14 years ago, Warrington is a hero in his local area of Yorkshire. So much so that a documentary, Fighting for a City, charts his journey to the world title fight and the adoration he gets around Leeds.
On the rise
Warrington’s form is on an upward curve and proved many wrong in his win over Selby.
“I’ve showed different parts to my game, I outboxed the boxer against Selby and I showed some power against Frampton,” Warrington told ESPN. “I’m always trying to learn new things. You have to adapt to different opponents. Over the next few years you will see the best out of me. It’s a red hot division.”
After beating Selby, he then unanimously outpointed Frampton, a former two-weight world champion, shortly before Christmas in a career-best win. Frampton, who holds a win over the current world featherweight No. 1 Leo Santa Cruz, was dominated by Warrington.
Warrington now has to deal with local rival Galahad next. Both come from Yorkshire and Warrington beat Galahad twice when they were amateurs.
Being world champion has not changed Warrington — he has remained the same sharp-witted, likeable, humble and hard-working person he was while striving to get his world title shot.
But his ambitions have changed. Warrington wants to fight in Las Vegas, and Mexican Santa Cruz is his top target.