Following his seventh round stoppage victory over Leigh Wood in Nottingham, Mauricio Lara approached Josh Warrington and spat at him.
It was a tougher night than he had against Warrington back in 2021, but ended in the same vein – the Mexican’s power being too much for a British opponent.
There was no doubt that Warrington was ringside and on punditry duties to hype up a fight with the winner, but Lara – in the heat of his victory – quickly took it too far by spitting.
Rather than denying the act, when asked by IFL TV if he did spit at his former – and likely future, too – opponent, the Mexican warrior, via a translator, said ‘of course I did.’
He went on to say that he did it because it was personal between him and Warrington and that it always would be. Asked what he thought of Warrington’s claims that he would be knocked out if they fought again, Lara smiled.
“Of course I want to fight [Warrington again].”
“I think he said that once before and it didn’t happen … I’m after you, I’m coming for you.”
Wood has a rematch clause that he can activate to face Lara a second time and attempt to win his world title back, but promoter Eddie Hearn said that it could be possible the champion face Warrington before that happens.
The results between the two are one win for Lara and one no contest after he received a cut from a head clash with Warrington.
The Leeds man and two-time division champion has made it clear that Lara is the man he wants next, and that seems to be the one thing the pair can agree on.