Into the final round of a slugfest between Ebanie Bridges and Maria Cecilia Roman. Both going out swinging...

Image source, PA Media

Steve Bunce
Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

Martinez's a genuine one-punch knockout artist. But he's also a man that can damage you. This is something Warrington talks about from their first fight. Fighters don't win fights in their 55th fight, he won a world title.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at First Direct Arena

Kiko Martinez, the Spaniard who welcomes all challenges, is enjoying arguably the greatest period of his 18-year career.

The 36-year-old veteran – who will be fighting in the United Kingdom for the ninth time - shocked the division when he stopped Sheffield’s Kid Galahad in the sixth round back in November to win the IBF title.

Don’t be fooled by the 10 defeats on his record. Martinez – who also held the IBF super-bantamweight belt between 2013-14 - will not give his world title away without a fight.

The two met back at the same venue in 2017 with Warrington winning a majority decision. Martinez feels he had done enough to win that fight.

Martinez oozes confidence. He asked for this fight. He could have defended against anyone. He vows to take it out of the judges hands this time with a knockout victory.

Image source, get

Josh Warrington is warming up on the pads in the bowels of the Leeds Arena.

The sort of game face which could crack mirrors. Seriously focused.

The Leeds Warrior will be coming out before not too long, with the preceding bout between Ebanie Bridges and Maria Cecilia Roman into the penultimate round...

Image source, PA

After we opened the show with a movie analogy, Josh Warrington ventured down the literary route to describe where he is at going into tonight's fight.

The 31-year-old says he is looking to write another chapter in his storied career.

After winning his first 30 bouts and holding the IBF featherweight title, he suffered a surprise loss to Mexico's Mauricio Lara in February 2021 before the rematch ended in a technical draw.

Now he has the opportunity to reclaim the IBF belt in front of an adoring Leeds crowd tonight.

"I tell you what, my book has gone from potentially being in the bargain aisle of Asda to best seller. What a chapter that is!" he laughed at Friday's news conference.

"It's all in my hands isn't it? I've got to do the business. It's funny how this sport works, but I'm going to make sure that my stars have aligned for a reason and go out there and do what I've done all camp.

"I've trained really hard, I've worked hard and I'm ready for anything."

Minds concentrated and knuckles wrapped...

My Spanish isn't great but I heard the word 'mano' being used a lot in Roman's corner. Maybe the Argentine is being told to let her hands (mano is hand) go a bit. Not sure.

Let's see what pans out. Round six...

Image source, Reuters

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at First Direct Arena

Ebanie Bridges is relentless. There's real venom behind each punch she throws. She wants this world title and she wants it bad. Her aggressive style means she will always be open to a counter, but it's a very confident start from the challenger.

The bell goes after the fifth of the 10 rounds between challenger Ebanie Bridges and champion Maria Cecilia Roman. The Argentine knows she's in a scrap. Bridges leading by all accounts.

BBC Radio 5 Live

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Our friends on the wireless have started their coverage from Leeds and you can listen by clicking the radio tab on this page.

Suspect Ronald McIntosh's voice is going to be shot in the morning.

He's already having to raise the decibels with the crowd chanting 'We are Leeds' and do-do-doing to that dance song which I can't remember the name of. You'll know it.

Loads of buzz for this rematch on social media at the moment and we have plenty of crowd pleasers in the building too.

Brawlers Leigh Wood and Jordan Gill were recently in two stunning comeback fights and the two Brits are ringside tonight to give their predictions.

There's also a prediction from Mr Carl Frampton, who is on commentary duty for 5 Live tonight - lucky listeners!

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at First Direct Arena

On the train journey up here the conductor glanced at my ticket and said “ah, you’re off to the party town!”… I assure you, whatever parties are happening out on the streets of Leeds right now, it’s nothing compared to what’s happening inside the First Direct Arena.

The decibels are getting higher each second we get nearer to the main event.

An unreal atmosphere.

Not sure an Australian has received a reception in Leeds like this since Mark Viduka was pirouetting and finding corners at Elland Road.

A heck of an ovation for Ebanie Bridges as her name is called out. Fancy it's going to be a tough night for her against the experienced Roman, though.

Ding, ding, we're off...

While our radio team are ringside in Leeds tonight, there is another fight night underway in London.

An intriguing all-British clash between between cruiserweights Richard Riakporhe and Deion Jumah tops the bill there, but Caroline Dubois has already been in the ring.

In fact she appeared for 49 seconds as she stopped Martina Horgasz with a succession of painful body shots. Dubois was fighting in just her second pro fight since graduating from the amateurs. Her promoter Ben Shalom was grinning ear to ear to see her grab the first stoppage of her career but as Dubois told us this week, she is in no rush to live up to her mooted potential.

"There's no rush, I can't be beating everyone now, can I?," she said. "It's crazy people are already [predicting she will be a superstar], it's cool because they have that belief in me.

"I haven't even stepped up yet and they're already saying I can do all these things. I want to prove them right and make them feel they made a good investment."

You can read more from Dubois here.

There was also a first-round knockout for rising star Adam Azim, who made short work of Connor Marsden and celebrated with a backflip. Impressive.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio 5 Live

While you're glued to every word here (ahem), you can also listen to the radio commentary provided by our 5 Live colleagues at the same time! What a service.

The radio team will be plugging in their mics at 10pm, with commentators Steve Bunce and Ronald McIntosh joined ringside by Northern Ireland's retired two-weight champion Carl Frampton.

Dan Canobbio: Do I think Josh Warrington deserves this title shot? No. Am I happy Kiko Martinez is getting a career-high purse? Yes. This is a business after all.

Shane Kelly: Reckon Warrington will blitz him in spurts and stop him. Kiko still has the punch though, as we seen v Kid Galahad.

Dale Cook: If Kiko sleeps Warrington it’s the best comeback from being “washed” ever.

Lee Bland: Kiko stops Warrington late on look how he went about business against Kid Galahad such a underrated and you will see coming Saturday night.

Scott Pearson: I think Josh stops him.

The television cameras go back stage where we see Josh Warrington doing some high kicks which even Olympic gymnasts would be proud of. My groin is groaning even watching.

Doncaster's Maxi Hughes has just wrapped up a fantastic win in his IBO world lightweight title bout against Norfolk's Ryan Walsh.

One more hors d'oeuvre before the main feast.

Next up is Australia's Ebanie Bridges - like Warrington, a Leeds United nut - against Argentina's Maria Cecilia Roman in their IBF world bantamweight title fight.

Kal Sajad
BBC Sport at First Direct Arena

Image source, BBC Sport

Is there a better atmosphere in British boxing than a Josh Warrington fight at The First Direct Arena?

The 31-year-old is headlining the venue for an astonishing 11th time since he first fought here against Martin Lindsay in 2014.

As they have done throughout his career, Warrington’s loyal army of fans will come out in full support. He will walk to the ring alongside Leeds United footballer Luke Ayling, and with ‘I Predict A Riot’ by Leeds-based band Kaiser Chiefs being played out.

Win, lose or draw – Warrington’s support never dwindles. I can confidently predict that the atmosphere tonight will be electric.

Image source, bbc s

All quiet when Josh Warrington checked out what has become his home ring last night.

Not so serene now in an already-raucous Leeds Arena...

Now then loves, as we say in Leeds. Or, in more common parlance, hello!

The sequel which everyone is talking about tonight is, of course, Martinez-Warrington II.

The first dance, back in 2017, was a tense and tight affair which Josh Warrington nicked in controversial circumstances.

The Yorkshireman's home victory was, claimed Kiko Martinez, "a robbery".

After a few recent flops, the Leeds Warrior is back for a second crack at the 36-year-old Spaniard and aiming to prove once again he is box office material...

Image source, Getty Images