Josh Warrington was in good spirits in hospital after undergoing successful surgery on the broken jaw that he sustained during his stunning victory over Kiko Martinez.
The Leeds Warrior became a two-time world champion in his home city when stopping the tough Spaniard in the seventh round of their IBF featherweight title fight at a sold-out and raucous First Direct Arena on Saturday night.
Warrington, who first won the IBF belt by defeating Lee Selby in 2018 before vacating it 14 months ago, had slipped down the pecking order for big fights in America after his previous two fights in 2021, which ended in a shock first career defeat to Mauricio Lara and then a technical draw in a rematch against the Mexican.
But he bounced back in emphatic fashion with a brutal demolition of Martinez that defied a broken jaw.
WARRINGTON KO'S KIKO 💥#MartinezWarrington2 pic.twitter.com/tPsJAmJb14
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) March 26, 2022
Posting an image of him smiling in a hospital bed at Leeds General Infirmary, Warrington wrote: "I had planned on eating a cheeseburger and bread & butter pudding on Sunday after the fight. Not happening for a few weeks now with me broken Jaw!
"Only a jaw though, that wasn’t going to stop me winning last night! My operation was a success this morning and I’m overwhelmed with the support last night. You really are the best fans in the world.
"Also like to thank the staff at LGI and Dr Dalghous of the Yorkshire Dental Suite for all their help and service. Fantastic in all stages of treatment last night and today, proper hero’s!"
Meanwhile his father and trainer Sean O’Hagan expects him chase his American dream.
O’Hagan told the PA news agency: “I think what this does, it gives us options now doesn’t it?
“Josh has always expressed an interest in going abroad to fight in Las Vegas, or maybe New York.
“But there again, we’ve got (WBA champion) Leigh Wood in the equation haven’t we? We’ve got (WBC champion) Mark Magsayo, the possibilities now are numerous.”
O’Hagan suggested Warrington has two career-defining fights left in him and believes he has earned the right to follow his heart when it comes to choosing his next move.
“With a fighter like Josh, who’s put his heart and soul into his career over the last 12 or 13 years, we’ve got to acknowledge what he wants,” O’Hagan said.
“I know that would be a unification (fight) in the States, so we can’t rule out (WBA super-featherweight champion Leo) Santa Cruz.
“If I was going to choose one I’d say let’s go take on Santa Cruz, then we’ll come back home for maybe his last one and unify against Leigh Wood.
“There will be some clamour for that, absolutely, but like I say, Josh has done everything that’s ever been asked of him.”