CALL THE SHOTS RIGHT
18.10.17

CALL THE SHOTS RIGHT

Warrington v Martinez

Fighter Diary by Josh Warrington

While it is the opinion of the three judges that is the all-important factor when fights go the distance, Josh Warrington questions the calling of the commentators in his last fight, which he believed he won as comfortably as two of the three wise men at ringside suggested with a 116-112 card. For his final exclusive diary column entry before Saturday night’s IBF final eliminator against Dennis Ceylan – John Rawling and Richie Woodhall might like to look away now…

I WAS A little taken aback when I got home after my last fight against Kiko Martinez and realised that a number of people were calling it a controversial decision in my favour.

I don’t think John Keane’s scorecard did us any justice, to be honest at 114-114, but I think most people were influenced by the commentary of the fight.

I like John Rawling and Richie Woodhall, but some of the rounds they were calling… I watched it again the other night – with and without sound – and I always try and be as neutral as I can looking at fights.

Look at Kiko’s work and then look at my work. There were often times in those rounds when Kiko was trying to push me towards the ropes and I was just catching the shots on my arms and gloves, while coming back with two or three punch combinations.

They weren’t all power punches, but they were scoring shots and they were discrediting my work by not giving it a mention whatsoever.

Just because he was walking forward, does that mean he wins rounds?

I was catching him clean, but in six, seven and eight I went a bit quiet and he got himself back in. 116-112 was fair, but I don’t know where the even scorecard came from.

And for people to say that he beat me…

It is frustrating at times, but what else can I do because I won the fight. Kiko wants you to stand and trade with him, but why would I give him that opportunity when I am so close to fighting for a world title?

It is about winning the fights and moving forward.

My workrate dropped off a little bit from busting my hand in the third round and just couldn’t throw it. I set everything up off my left hand and like to keep busy with my jab, but I couldn’t use it.

It resulted in me having a few quiet spells, but I never thought I was behind at any point or chasing the fight. In the 12th round I wouldn’t have gone for a walk if I thought I was losing, I would have just put everything into it.

So the commentators didn’t do me any favours and I think people at home tend to form their judgements off what they are saying, perhaps without even realising it.

I always fiddle about with my shorts in fights and I do this thing where I touch my elbow with my glove. It is just a force of habit and I’ve always done it.

John Rawling made a comment saying ‘Warrinton must be really feeling the pain of the body shots’ and I can put my hand on heart and say I never felt hurt from a body shot.

He caught me clean with a few good shots to my head but at no point did I feel hurt to the body. He was talking as if he knew how I felt, saying I looked in real discomfort.

That can change people’s perception of a fight, but what can you do? I don’t know how many fights the commentators had seen of me previously, but if they have watched they would know I can adapt.

Hopefully they will do their homework before my big fight on Saturday.

IT IS A helluva card this Saturday in Leeds and one that Frank deserves massive credit for making happen.

We’ve always asked for local fighters to be on the card so that when people are getting their tickets they know they will see the likes of Jack Bateson, Tyrone Nurse – from West Yorkshire – Darren Tetley from Bradford, Jack Daniels, Damo Jones – they are all local lads.

Before when they were coming along to my fights they probably wouldn’t think about watching the undercard because they wouldn’t know who they were, or they wouldn’t want to see a big name fighting a Noddy, where they know the result already.

They want to see local lads building a career or competitive fights – and this card has got it all.

You’ve got some of the best prospects coming up and it is just what this show needed. From first to last we have got some entertaining fights on.

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