Josh Warrington has warned Lee Selby that he cannot prepare for the hostile reaction that he is set to receive this weekend.

The Welshman puts his IBF World Title on the line in front of Warrington’s home crowd at Leeds United’s Elland Road Stadium on Saturday night, live on BoxNation.

25,000 are set to cram into the iconic football stadium and Warrington, who spoke with iFL, has put Selby on notice that nothing will be able to prepare him for what he is set to experience.

"He can’t prepare for this crowd – his head has gone. What’s he going to be like when he’s walking up to the ring and they’re hanging over shouting and screaming at him," said Warrington.

"They’re not in the ring with me but every time a punch lands a roar will go up. You can’t prepare for what’s about to go ahead.  

"He’s always said he doesn’t mind coming up here and giving me a hiding in front of my fans, so he’s got the opportunity to do so. And I have the opportunity of punching him in the face and to take that belt of him.

"I’m not looking at it as a personal thing. I’m looking at it as he’s standing in the way of me lifting that world title above my head and that’s that," he said.

27-year-old Warrington, who was close to facing Selby two years ago, believes that fate has played it’s part in bringing the two together again, in a fight that will be the undefeated Yorkshire fighter’s first World Title challenge.  

"I went the long way round and got the mandatory challenger, beat Dennis Ceylan and now I’m here," Warrington said.

"Some things could have happened where Lee could easily have moved up or he could have been beat, all these little avenues could have happened but I’m still here and it’s ended up being against Lee.

"I believe in destiny and what’s meant to be. I don’t want to go all ‘Mystic Meg’ but since the amateurs I’ve had an idea of where my life wants to go and where I want to be and it’s all fallen into place," he added.

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