Kid Galahad on Josh Warrington - 'I've had sparring sessions tougher than this fight will be'

A confident Galahad claimed he had already shared a ring with better boxers than Warrington as the pair engaged in a final exchange of words before their IBF title contest.

Warrington became the UK’s number one featherweight in 2018 by taking the IBF belt from Selby and then outpointed Frampton in spectacular fashion but Galahad said he was confident Warrington’s style and punching would cause no surprises.

“I don’t fear much about Josh,” Galahad said. “I know sparring is sparring but I believe I’ve sparred with better fighters than Josh Warrington in the past. I’ve sparred with Ricky Burns when he was lightweight champion, Oscar Valdez, Kell Brook. The list goes on.

“You keep on going on about him fighting Lee Selby and Carl Frampton and this and that but I’ve sparred better kids than he’s boxed. Sparring’s actually harder than a fight, in my opinion. I’ve learned more from sparring than I have from fighting.”

Selby was amongst the boxers who helped Galahad prepare for tomorrow’s featherweight bout in Leeds, travelling to Sheffield to train with the him earlier in the year.

Selby, however, was thoroughly outclassed by Warrington at Elland Road last May, on the night when the Leeds fighter claimed his world belt.

Warrington said: “For Barry to say sparring’s harder than fighting, that’s a load of b******s.

“In sparring you’ve got headguards on and big 16 ounce gloves on. When you come to fight night you’re dealing with all types of pressures and emotions. You’ve got to do it under the lights and there’s no stopping. You’ve got little eight ounce gloves on and the punches hurt that little bit more.”

Galahad also questioned Warrington’s power, saying: “I believe I’m better than Josh in every department. My record suggests I hit harder than him. He can still hit but he’s only got six ‘kos’. He’s definitely got a big heart but I believe I’ve got a bigger heart than him. On Saturday night when we get in there, we’ll see.”