The unbeaten Josh Warrington made a real statement at featherweight by scoring a 12-round unanimous decision over former world title challenger Hisashi Amagasa in Leeds, England, on Saturday, although the margin of victory does not tell the story.

The official scores were 118-111, 117-111 and an absolutely horrendous 120-107.

Warrington, a former British, Commonwealth and European champion, started fast, survived the predictable mid-round onslaught and carried the day down the home stretch but there is no way that he pitched a shutout.

Hideous scoring aside, the rumor is that Lee Selby, who is rated No. 4 by THE RING at 126 pounds, could now defend his IBF title against the Englishman this summer.

“This was a massive lesson for me,” said Warrington when interviewed by Sky Sports in the U.K. “I got drawn into a fight and there are a few things I need to brush up on before a world title shot. I’ll go back to the gym and when the Lee Selby fight comes around, I’ll be ready for it.”

Amagasa reportedly arrived from Japan on Tuesday and the 30-year-old looked positively jet-lagged in the early rounds. Warrington (23-0, 4 KOs) instantly found the range with his jab and mixed in an impressive array of accurate power shots to head and body while taking little in return.

Amagasa, as tough as they come, was unfazed but his own work lacked snap.

The Japanese star, who dropped Guillermo Rigondeaux twice in a losing effort 16 months ago, found his rhythm in the middle sessions and his power had an immediate effect. Warrington continually surrendered ground and absorbed punishing shots to the head as the Japanese brawler seized control.

That all changed in the tenth when Warrington timed Amagasa with a left hook. The punch startled the visitor and a follow-up left and a big right hand had him woozy. Warrington’s hitting power definitely belied his anemic KO ratio (17 per cent) and he was back in the driving seat.

Amagasa responded by hurting Warrington immediately in the 11^th but he was stunned again by another blistering attack and cut badly over the right eye. Both men had their moments in the closing session but the winner was never really in doubt.

“I feel that Lee Selby is a natural fight for Josh Warrington,” said Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn. “It’s a great fight for Britain and it should happen sooner rather than later.”

*

In a battle of former world titleholders, Stuart Hall scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Mexican southpaw Rodrigo Guerrero. All three judges scored the high-contact bantamweight bout 117-111.

Hall, from Darlington, England, was economical with his approach and released shots of a higher quality throughout. Guerrero looked lethargic in the opening sessions but a brace of head clashes, which opened up gory lacerations to his forehead and right eye, seemed to energize him.

The visitor had a great spell in the middle of the fight and Hall, a former IBF bantamweight titleholder, had to keep his defenses tight to avoid the worst of it. Guerrero, an IBF beltholder at junior bantamweight, seemed to lose momentum in the closing rounds and Hall, who hurt his man briefly in the ninth, punch-picked his way to victory.

Tom Gray is a member of the British Boxing Writers’ Association and has contributed to various publications. Follow him on Twitter: @Tom_Gray_Boxing

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