Kiko Martinez: Who is the Spanish boxer that Josh Warrington faces this weekend?

IBF CHAMPION: Kiko Martinez (right) celebrates victory against Kid Galahad in November. Picture: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.

Josh Warrington and Kiko Martinez are well acquainted ahead of Saturday's IBF featherweight title contest, having faced each other at the Leeds Arena five years ago.

The 36-year-old is stalwart of the sport, having made his professional debut in June 2004. He lost when he faced Warrington in May 2017, with the Leeds Warrior taking the victory by a majority decision.

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The Spanish fighter was born in Alicante and turned pro after an impressive amateur record. He fought 40 times in the junior ranks without losing but turned down the chance to fight at the Olympics as he opted to turn professional when he was 18.

He won by knockout on his pro debut and went on to win his next 10 fights by stoppage. In 2006, he won the European Union super bantamweight title via a unanimous decision against Frenchman Salem Bouaita.

He sustained his first professional loss in 2008 against Rendall Munroe but five years later he beat Jonatan Romero by TKO to win the IBF super bantamweight title - his first of two world titles.

He lost the belt to Northern Irishman Carl Frampton in 2014 in Belfast. Since his 2017 loss to Warrington, Martinez has fought for the WBC featherweight title and the IBF title at 126 pounds.

He lost to Gary Russell Junior in 2019 in his failed bid to become WBC king but in November last year he became a two-weight world champion as he knocked out Kid Galahad to win the IBF belt.

Martinez has fought 55 times during his pro career, winning 43 fights, losing 10 while drawing the other two. 30 of his wins have come by way of knockout.