Josh Warrington vs Mauricio Lara- Live coverage and undercard results from SSE Arena ahead of UK boxing return

GBN provides live coverage and results from Warrington vs Lara clash in London

Former IBF Featherweight World Champion Josh Warrington takes on tough Mexican fighter Mauricio Lara at The SSE Arena, Wembley on Saturday February 13, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

Follow our live coverage below from the SSE Arena ahead of a packed night of action:

Main Event

12 x 3 mins International Featherweight contest
JOSH WARRINGTON vs MAURICIO LARA

Lara seemed heavy handed and game in the opening stages, with Warrington trading and feeling out his opponent after the bell went for the opening round. The Mexican appeared to have an early cut in the fast paced start with Warrington trying to nurse any early ring-rust.

Both fighter started to find a small patch of rhythm in the second with Lara not looking too uncomfortable in the exchanges, but Warrington stalked his opponent starting to slowly ease his way back into the full flow. Powerful exchanges started to emerge with Warrington planting his feet and letting his hands go in the unusual atmosphere at Wembley Arena.

A tentative start from Warrington continued in the third, as he looked to release some more powerful shots as the exchanges came closer and Lara tried to approach the British fighter. The pace seemed considerably slower from the Leeds Warrior who continued to plug away.

Lara knocks down Warrington in the fourth round, in a shocking turn of events with some explosive fast fists with Warrington seemingly out on his legs and struggling with the pace.

Warrington appears to shake off the knocks and string together some combinations of his own in the fifth in a remarkable spectacle.

Despite the knockdown, Warrington stayed on his feet and tried to land any kind of shots of his own, but the clock ticked on and Lara remained a dogged opponent firing away at the Briton's guard.

Lara continued to plug away and exploded to life again in the ninth landing some huge power punches on an already wounded Warrington who was sent crashing to the canvas.

Josh Warrington has been defeated by Mauricio Lara in a shocking ninth round stoppage by the underdog Mexican warrior.

Chief Support

12 x 3 mins International Super-Featherweight contest
ZELFA BARRETT vs KIKO MARTINEZ

Zelfa Barrett began by using his lead left and feeling out the closed up Martinez who looked sturdy and clearly a seasoned competitor. Barretts long reach appeared to be an early factor using his left jab to try and keep the distance and control the opening exchanges.

Barrett continued to plug away with his left hook, but then Martinez switched with a minute left to go through the round nailing Barrett with a stiff shot through the guard and reminding him of his ability to go with the feircest of competitors in the division.

The third developed in similar fashion with Martinez clearly game for a real brawl chasing Barrett around who continued to use the back foot start well, and lead out with his left hand.

Martinez continued to look solid with some swift combinations and asserting his experience providing a real test for the young contender Barrett in the fourth with Barrett starting to deal with the fast pace that Martinez continued to set.

The fight continued at a fast tempo with Martinez using an 'Iron Mike' approach and chasing Barrett around roughing him up with powerful combinations and keeping Barrett on the back foot, but Barrett started to land from distance and appeared to bloody the nose of Martinez despite struggling with the inside fast punches of the Spaniard.

Despite the consistent pressure from Martinez, Barrett was still landing shots in the sixth, despite largely being on the back foot against the work-rate and energy of his opponent who continued to work the body and head with a train like aggression.

Barrett was cut in the seventh which appeared to be causing him some real issues around the eye, as martinez continued at a ferocious pace keeping Barrett reaching and fishing for any kind of landed shot and asserting his experience.

Martinez continued to worry Barrett as the clock continued to tick down for the Briton to try and re-establish some control in the contest with Martinez continuing to battle and bully his way in on the inside against the retreating Barrett.

An action packed ninth round, with Barrett starting to come out and try to bring the pressure to Martinez. It looked increasingly likely that Barrett would need a late stoppage to try and remove the aggressive Martinez from the contest who appeared to be a majority favourite on the scorecards.

A much stronger finish by Zelfa Barrett who started to box at his normal relaxed pace, landing some better shots but it appeared that it could be too late with Martinez still trying to advance and pin his opponent despite a ferocious pace carried throughout the whole duration.

Zelfa Barret records a shock victory over Spaniard Kiko Martinez  by unanimous decision.

18:15 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS FACEBOOK

Fight #1

6 x 3 mins Super-Bantamweight contest 
IBRAHIM NADIM vs JONNY PHILLIPS

Phillips landed a flashy right hand clean, which was by far the best punch of the opening the round. Very close round to start this fight off with.

Nadim looked busier and more useful in the second round. Jonny Phillips and his nice boxing perhaps caught him by surprise to start with. In Nadim's corner, Ricky Hatton told him not to take too many risks.

Phillips got caught with a big right hand as he moved in midway through the third. His hands low, flicking out the jab is always effective for the away fighter. He beckoned Nadim forward when on the ropes, which 'Ibby' responeded to professionally by not taking the bait and landing his shots and moving away again. As the round ended, Phillips threw a hook that missed wildly and he shook his head in disgust with himself.

The 21-year-old Yourkshireman slipped over as the fourth round started. It wasn't a good round for the home fighter as he took his foot off the gas and allowed 'The Matador' to get some good shots off. At this stage, you could argue (a little weakly, perhaps) that the score is even, if you give rounds one and four to Phillips.

Hatton was urging 'Ibby' to land big shots believing that Phillips was spent after such an exertive round. Phillips was diving in and Nadim was making him pay with quick counters. As Jonny waded in with a body shot, 'Ibby' stepped to the side and landed the most eyecatching of right hands you could want to see. Jonny looked disappointed as he walked to his corner ahead of the final round.

The 29-year-old Southerner was trying his best to land a knockout blow but the younsgter was too slick and quick for him. Phillips looked fatigued and frustrated as NAdim boxed rings around him in the final round. The fight finished with Phillips missing a telegraphed right hook which Nadim slipped under easily and reeled off three or four shots of his own. For his first six rounder, it was admirable to see how much better Nadim got with each passing round. If he had fought like he did in the last round from the first round, then this would have been a very one-sided, easy job for him in his third fight.

Nadim won 60-55 on points.

 

19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS & DAZN

Fight #2

6 x 3 mins International Super-Bantamweight contest
HOPEY PRICE vs DANIEL MENDOZA

Top prospect Hopey Price arguably has the easiest opponent of the event in front of him. It was a standard first round with a decent young prospect against a journeyman, who hit the deck from a cute right hook, but wasn't ruled a knockdown by referee Bob Williams.

The 20-year-old from Leeds was finding it easy in there and so he should with an opponent like this. The Nicaraguan hasn't won any of his last seven fights. 

In round four, Mendoza lingered on the ropes often and he paid the price when Price rocked him in the final minute of the round.

Perhaps Price is happy to bag the rounds, but he should be putting an easy opponent like this away. In round five, he was down again - yet another slip.

Trained by Dave Coldwell, Price was an Olympic Youth Games gold medallist. Ivan 'Drago', aka Hopey Price, won on points.

 

Fight #3

10 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
DALTON SMITH vs ISHMAEL ELLIS

Smith was calm and composed, while Ellis was very jerky and nervous. Despite his rapid movement and quick reflexes, Ellis was still caught with a few shots during the opener.

In round two, Smith caught Ellis with a fantastic overhand right from afar, and the two-time Midlands Area contender nodded his hean in approval at such a fantastic move.

The 24-year-old from Sheffield trapped the Brummie in the corner and landed a rocking right hand that almost put Ellis through the ropes. He walked back to his corner bloodied and bruised and his team rightfully pulled him out of the fight.

 

Fight #4

12 x 3 mins vacant British Featherweight Title
LEIGH WOOD vs REECE MOULD

A cagey opening round from the pair as they feeled their way into the early stages with Leigh Wood finding his early stiff jab. Mould looked to try and defend well with good head movement and beginning well.

Both fighters tried their level best to box with more intent and power at the start of the second. Heads often came near at times with the referee trying to stop any clashes but Mould appeared to be holding the hard-hiting Wood at bay.

Mould landed a stiff left hook in the third round which appeared to give him confidence switching up and down from body to head and trying to find the positive energy in the third round exchanges.

Wood then came bursting out in the fourth showing his power punching style, rocking Mould with some powerful combinations to the head, with Mould's nose bloodied. Then Wood secured a knock-down with some further damaging hitting shortly after, with Mould looking out on his feet with a potential broken nose.

Mould made it to the halfway stage and continued to trade impressively with Wood, both fighters landed towards the final bell with both fighters still battling for control of the middle rounds.

Wood earned the stoppage when he came out in the ninth round with a further two knockdowns with a further display of explosive hard hitting grinding down the resolve of Reece Mould who stayed strong for such a long part of the fight.

Leigh Wood wins the British featherweight title with a ninth round stoppage over resillient Reece Mould.

 

Chief Support

12 x 3 mins International Super-Featherweight contest
ZELFA BARRETT vs KIKO MARTINEZ

 

Main Event

12 x 3 mins International Featherweight contest
JOSH WARRINGTON vs MAURICIO LARA