Josh Warrington taunts Lee Selby ahead of facing Hisashi Amagasa
Thursday 18 February 2016 13:18, UK
Josh Warrington believes that beating Hisashi Amagasa would prove him more than worthy of taking on Lee Selby at Elland Road.
Warrington (22-0-KO4) will enjoy home support in Leeds when he faces Japan's Amagasa (30-5-2-KO20), who twice felled Guillermo Rigondeaux down at super-bantamweight before losing in the penultimate round.
With IBF world champion Selby (22-1-KO8) taken the distance by the experienced Fernando Montiel in his first fight since winning the title from Evgeny Gradovich, Warrington feels he is asserting authority in his long-term pursuit of the Welshman.
He told Sky Sports: "The ball's in my court now. For a few years, Eddie [Hearn] might have said it and Sky might have said it and people would have said that I didn't deserve to be in there with him.
Look at his last fight. I was doing some commentary on it and it wasn't his best performance. He should have gone over there and made a statement and he didn't.
"There was a stage when I won a European title when the gap was quite close but since he picked up the world title, people are saying it's all about levels. I've kind of got bored of it now.
"He was saying he wanted to be a massive superstar, go to America and become a unified champ. Look at his last fight. I was doing some commentary on it and it wasn't his best performance. He should have gone over there and made a statement and he didn't.
"The aspirations of having the unification fight went out the window. Now the Americans aren't interested in him, he's changed his goals. Now he wants to come over and fight me. He didn't want to fight me before. You thought you were too big for me. Make your mind up!
"The ball is in my court. I'm in the position to dictate a little bit and even more so if I beat someone like Amagasa. If I beat him, people will no longer be able to say that I don't deserve a shot. He hasn't boxed anyone like that.
"I'm not going to take any credit away from him. He beat someone who had the belt but I think Amagasa is better than Evgeny Gradovich. I'll say that with confidence. If I can beat someone like Amagasa, why don't I deserve a shot at Lee Selby at Elland Road?
"It's not just because I'm a ticket-seller but it's because of the fighter I am."
Warrington was last in action in September when he cruised to a wide points victory over Australia's Joel Brunker, who was previously stopped in nine by Selby.
