Former two division champion Carl Frampton is backing Leigh Wood to retain his WBA featherweight title on Saturday night, when he defends against former beltholder Josh Warrington in Sheffield.
A defeat could be the end of the road for Warrington’s career.
The Leeds fighter is coming back from a decision loss to current IBF champion Luis Alberto Lopez, which took place last year.
“I don’t think there is a massive favorite, but I think Wood’s freshness is enough to get him a win,” Frampton told Metro.co.uk.
“I really respect Josh and his dad [Warrington’s trainer, Sean O’Hagan] but Josh looks to be at the stage of his career that I was when I going in to fight him going in towards the back end. I am not saying I was finished or he is finished, but maybe slightly past our best. I just fancy Leigh for those reasons.
“When you’re in wars, it can almost be an overnight thing, from turning in a decent performance to being done just like that. I am not saying that is the case, but it slows you up when you spar hard and fight hard like Josh does. There is only a certain shelf life you are able to do that for.”
Frampton knows the feeling of what it’s like to hit the end of the road. He lost a tough twelve round decision to Warrington in 2018.
A few years later, in 2021, Frampton’s career came to a close when he was knocked out by Jamel Herring.
Frampton believes Warrington would likely retire in defeat.
“Josh has had an unbelievable career. I think if he loses, there is a good chance he walks away. He has got young kids, he has made enough money and could walk away happy and confident with what he has achieved in the sport,” Frampton said.
“There is one thing that would keep Josh around if he did lose and that would be a fight in the US. I know he has wanted that for a while and I would love for him to get that. Beat Leigh Wood and then go and unify against someone in America and bring your crazy Leeds fans to the States. I would like that to happen for him because he has always wanted that.”