Leeds United star Pablo Hernandez to join Josh Warrington on ring walk for world title fight against Sofiane Takoucht this weekend
LEEDS UNITED midfielder Pablo Hernandez will accompany Josh Warrington into the ring before the IBF champion defends his title against Sofiane Takoucht.
Warrington, 28, makes the third defence of his featherweight title on Saturday having beaten Carl Frampton last year and narrowly outpointing Kid Galahad in June.
And the “Leeds Warrior” revealed on Twitter will make his ring walk at the First Direct Arena with Spaniard Hernandez, who has two goals and two assists in the Championship this season.
Warrington is known for his epic entrances before a fight, having had Yorkshire band Kaiser Chiefs perform the boxer’s entrance music live last year.
They played their hit track “I Predict A Riot” at Leeds’ Elland Road stadium before Warrington challenged for the world title against Lee Selby.
Whites skipper Liam Cooper also accompanied the boxer to the ring that night.
Warrington was inspired as he scored an upset win against Selby to clinch the featherweight title.
But the 28-year-old was left frustrated this year as he failed to secure a Stateside unification bout against champions Gary Russell Jr, Leo Santa Cruz or Oscar Valdez.
Warrington insisted he was on his “hands and knees” when offering to fight the division’s best – but will have to take care of Frenchman Takoucht in the meantime.
He said: “I was speaking to Frank Warren and he was telling me the other fighters don’t want it.
“I was almost in tears to be honest, I was proper down because I’d told my fans we’d done Leeds and that we’d do America next.
“I was on my hands and knees and thinking, why do they not want the fight?
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“I don’t want to have 20 defences just to pad out my record and get pay days. Get me the big fights against the champions.
“Fighting the big names does something to me, when my back’s against the wall and people say I can’t.
“For me to go to my grave a unified champion, I can live off that for the rest of my life. But I don’t want to come to the end of my career and wonder what if.”