Exclusive
it's war
BRITISH world champ Josh Warrington is gunning for rival Gary Russell Jr after blasting him as “f*****g disrespectful” for making threats against the cancer-stricken father of a rival.
The American WBC featherweight champion filmed a warped video after he bumped into the dad of WBA champ Leo Santa Cruz last month, backstage at a fight in the US.
3
In a clip that went viral, Russell put his arms around the neck of Santa Cruz’s non-English speaking dad, who clearly did not understand the threats being made.
In the spiteful WWE-like promo attempting to lure Santa Cruz into a fight, Russell, 31, growled: “I want you. I’m in arm’s reach, I can touch him. I can put my hands on him, Leo.
“Stop acting like a sucker and come see me, before I go get your father. I already put my hands on him, I could’ve put him in a choke for real, if I wanted to.”
IBF king Warrington, who is desperate to unify the division with a fight against Russell, after Santa Cruz and WBO boss Oscar Valdez moved up weight classes, was sickened by the stunt.
And father and trainer Sean is also interested in taking revenge on the 30-1 southpaw, if their paths cross.
Speaking at the Dishforth military base after doing drills with the 6 Regiment RLC, Warrington raged: “I showed my old fella the video and I couldn’t possibly repeat in public what he said about it or what he would do to him.
"It was really f*****g disrespectful.
“There are ways and means of making fights, some guys do get desperate, but to do that, especially with his dad being ill, is nasty.”
3
3
Before Warrington can target Russell Jr, he has to get rid of French challenger Sofiane Takoucht on October 12 in Leeds.
The belt owning pair almost came to blows earlier in the year but the Leeds Warrior, who beat a professional soldier in shooting practice at the Yorkshire base on Tuesday, had to handle business closer to home.
But he wants the battle arranged for 2020 so he and his heavyweight dad can settle the score.
Warrington, 28, told SunSport: “I actually commented on the video and a few hours later he came back and called me a coward for not fighting him before I beat Kid Galahad.
latest boxing news
“But I had to fight Galahad in June, as my mandatory challenger, otherwise I would have no title to try to unify with.
“But if he wants a fight next, I am more than happy to give it to him. I am not interested in shouting names out but I will go to his backyard, I will not run from him and I am not scared of him.
“And I would half like to see him try to put his hands on my old fella, I don’t think it would be a happy ending.”
Boxers Josh Warrington and Carl Frampton share classy moment in the dressing room after war