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NEW YORK , United States – 1 June 2019; Anthony Joshua after defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in their IBF, WBA, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Championship fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

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NEW YORK , United States – 1 June 2019; Anthony Joshua after defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr in their IBF, WBA, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Championship fight at Madison Square Garden in New York, USA. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
On February 13, Josh Warrington succumbed to a terrifying defeat against the powerful Mexican, Mauricio Lara. ‘The Leeds Warrior’ began the fight on a competitive note, but as the bout progressed, he failed to keep up with his opponents’ pace. Moreover, this was his first career defeat.
Despite a loss, his countryman Anthony Joshua expressed his support for the former featherweight champion. In his recent tweet, ‘AJ’ shared a screenshot of his video chat with ‘The Leeds Warrior’.
“You know what you gotta do.”
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“I got your back champ,” he wrote.
‘AJ’ suffered his first-career defeat following a lengthy unbeaten run, and he knows exactly what Warrington would be going through. He took this chance to console ‘The Leeds Warrior’ and motivate him to do the best in his next bouts.
You know what you gotta do.
I got your back champ @J_Warrington 💥 pic.twitter.com/xsh7Wqfz9u
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) February 17, 2021
After a long in-ring hiatus of 16 months, Warrington stepped inside the squared circle against Lara. Given the records and prowess, ‘The Leeds Warrior’ was a clear favorite in this fight. He began the bout on a cracking note and landed some power-packed blows.
But, as the fight progressed, Warrington couldn’t continue with his game-plan and ended up on the losing vertical. In fact, Mauricio Lara scored the first knockdown of the fight when he landed a thrilling left hook in round four.
This knockdown left Warrington and his corner staggered and ‘Bronco’ capitalized on the same in following rounds.
Read – Andy Ruiz Jr. Has No Interest Fighting in 2021 – Gives an Update on His Strategy
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Can Josh Warrington make a worthy comeback?
Prior to the Mauricio Lara fight, Warrington had one of the most exuberant track records at the 126-pound landscape. Although the loss has derailed his undefeated streak, it will not stagnate his champion mindset. A prime reason for his loss can be the inactivity he maintained for a long time.

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BERLIN, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 21: Josh Warrington of Great Britain in action during the feather weight fight at o2 World on February 21, 2015 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
But, the former featherweight champion is aware of his responsibilities and will look to storm back into the ring and fight for the titles soon.
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Warrington will have to keep himself pro-active from hereon, to stay relevant in the division. The next few months will be extremely vital for ‘The Leeds Warrior’. He will need a win in his next bout to regain some of his lost momentum.
Who should Warrington take on next?
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