William Warburton, British Welterweight Ringer of Upsets!
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Lancashire British welterweight boxer William Warburton won his professional debut by six round decision over 1-7 Yorkshire super lightweight Craig Tomes on April 4, 2009. It would be the first bout of his career, and the only time in his career William Warburton would face an opponent with a losing record. A veteran of 123 professional bouts in the past seven years, William Warburton is the true ringer of upsets. The British ringer, whose record is 19-96-8 with three knockouts, is a far better fighter than his trial horse journeyman record would indicate to unsuspecting opponents. For those foes who show up unprepared for Warburton, he’s good enough to know. While not a power puncher, Warburton is a fairly decent technical fighter.
Warburton can be understood by looking at the fighters he has beaten and drawn. Of the 27 fighters Warburton has beaten or drew with, none of them has a losing record. Including professional debut opponents, an incredible 83 of Warburton’s opponents were undefeated at the time Warburton faced them.
Warburton has beaten fighters with records such as 11-3, 9-0-1, 16-5, 13-4-1, and drawn with 17-4-1 and 8-2. In May 2013, Warburton ruined the pro debut of British southpaw Karl Ferguson, stopping him in the third round. In November 2012, Warburton ruined the promising career of 12-0 Gloucester lightweight Chris Higgs, finishing him in the seventh round of a scheduled ten. Warburton has also gone the ten round distance with unbeaten prospects James Metcalf (11-0) and Nathan Dale (18-0). Four rounds, six rounds, eight rounds, ten rounds, Warburton will fight anyone anywhere anyplace at any time.
So it was inevitable a contender would eventually fall to Warburton. 19-4 Jason Welborn, having lost a ten rounder to Matthew Macklin for the vacant WBC Super Welterweight title in October 2015, chalked up two more wins before facing Warburton in a six rounder in the West Midlands in May 14, 2016.
Warburton would not fold, matching opponent Welborn blow for blow and more, fighting for his entire life as he always does. Welborn, apparently, had not expected the tune up to be the real deal. When the bout ended, referee John Latham, the lone judge scored the bout 58-57 for Warburton. The ringer of upsets, William Warburton overturned the apple cart again. At age 30, Warburton is on the road to becoming the new British equivalent of 300 bout veteran Peter Buckley. Like a Timex, Warburton takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
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