Elland Road in Leeds, England, is to expand its event portfolio by staging the IBF World Featherweight Championship boxing match between local fighter Josh Warrington and Lee Selby.
Home to Championship football club Leeds United, the 37,890-capacity stadium will host the pair, who have developed a somewhat fierce rivalry over the past few years, on May 19th.
Warrington, with an unbeaten boxing record of 26-0, including six knockouts, is yet to have a professional fight in his hometown and is likely to have the Leeds crowd behind him on the night.
“The city of Leeds is craving a World Champion and I’m going to give them what they want,” Warrington said.
“With the support of an entire city behind me I’m going to create history, I’m going to give absolutely everything to get my hands on that World Title and I’m grabbing this opportunity with both hands.”
Selby, who won the IBF Featherweight belt from Russia’s Evgeny Gradovich back in 2015, also has an impressive record of 26-1 with nine knockouts.
The Welshman said fighting on foreign ground will not phase him: “Fighting away from home in his backyard doesn’t bother me in the slightest.
“This is a huge fight and it makes sense to take it to a football stadium, there will be tens of thousands of his fans backing him on May 19th, but it’s only me and him in the ring.
“Let’s see what Josh is really made of, he’s done everything that has been asked of him and he’s earned his shot at my World Title.”
Image: Auz
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