Leeds fanatic Josh Warrington promises to invite Marcelo Bielsa to join his next ring walk if he beats Kiko Martinez
JOSH WARRINGTON will invite Marcelo Bielsa to join his next ring walk if he beats Kiko Martinez and becomes world champion again.
The Leeds fanatic returns to the ring on Saturday in a homecoming at the First Direct Arena.
He challenges Martinez in a rematch – having beaten the Spaniard in 2017- for the IBF featherweight title he vacated last year.
Warrington, 31, revealed if he regains the belt, then he will offer ex-Leeds manager Bielsa the chance to walk out with him in the future.
He told The Mirror: “It would have been an absolutely huge honour to have him there on Saturday.
“But I’ve nowt for him to carry this time, he’d just be walking out alongside me.
“But if I was to win the belt it’d be a huge honour to have him there next time.
“Just to have him back and give him a proper send-off, whether it meant him getting in the ring before or after the fight, it would be brilliant, so let’s see what happens.”
Warrington has been joined by Whites stars Pablo Hernandez, 36, and Liam Cooper, 30, on the way to the ring before.
He claimed Manchester United legend and current Derby boss Wayne Rooney, 36, would be welcome ringside to watch him – but maybe not during the ring walk.
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He said: “I met Wayne at a show and we had a photo.
“I did get a few Leeds fans message me — asking what I was doing hanging around with a sc*mer!
“But he is a real boxing man and he approached me and started talking about Leeds Rhinos, he is a proper rugby league fan too.
“We were both going back to the same hotel and he said he wanted to walk with me. I thought, ‘f****ing hell, all right then’.
“Because I still look at him as a great England player — but always a sc*mer.
“I cheered his name during the World Cups and Euros. Walking me out to the ring might be a step too far, though!
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“He will always be welcome ringside but you have to be from Leeds to walk me to the ring.
“The people I have had do it in the past have all known what it means to be Leeds.
“Wayne is a true legend, don’t get me wrong for a second. However, if I am fighting in Leeds, then I don’t think he could walk me out!”