Welsh World boxing champion Lee Selby cheered Cardiff City to victory at Elland Road – and he’ll be aiming to produce his own knockout performance in May.
Bluebirds fan Selby, from Barry, must have been impressed with the major body blows inflicted by City in their 4-1 away win.
Callum Paterson, Junior Hoilett and Sean Morrison scored to give Neil Warnock’s team a 3-0 lead, while Leeds had Swiss left-back Gaetano Berardi sent off for a second bookable offence.
That is a fourth red card in United’s last five fixtures.
Substitute Anthony Pilkington scored Cardiff’s fourth three minutes from the end.
Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge tweeted: “Great to get another 3 points on the board.
“Shame we couldn’t get another clean sheet, but the boys dug deep in the second half for the win! Thank you to all of you that travelled up and those who followed the game! #cardiffcityfc #cardiff #cityasone #goalkeeper #football”
Selby defends his World featherweight title against Josh Warrington at Leeds United’s stadium later this year and attended to promote that clash.
City were upbeat, energetic and ruthless during the first half, landing a series of punishing blows on a home team who were on the ropes by half-time.
New signings Gary Madine and Amond Traore both started for Cardiff and they dominated a Leeds team who simply could not match the intensity and sheer efficiency of the visitors.
Elland Road was a cauldron with more than 600 Bluebirds fans chanting and cheering with a passion.
City players seemed to relish the intimidating atmosphere in front of 30,000-plus spectators, outmuscling and almost bullying Leeds with a powerful team display.
Manager Warnock’s team also played a lot of flowing football, attacking with pace, freedom and ferocity.
By half-time Leeds looked down and out with BBC Wales commentator saying: “Game, set and match. It’s all over.”
It was perhaps inevitable that Leeds would come out hard and they started causing major problems for Cardiff, raiding fast down the flanks and getting in behind the back four.
Cardiff’s intensity levels dipped and an own goal by Sol Bamba after 54 minutes was a body blow for City. That lifted the hosts, who, even with 10 players, were pressing hard.
Warnock almost took swift action when 21-year-old Serbian midfield player Marko Grujic flew into a reckless tackle and it looked as though he was in danger of being sent off on a straight red card.
Referee Graham Scott, though, decided a telling off was sufficient punishment and Warnock immediately told Loic Damour to get ready.
Amour took off his tracksuit and Grujic looked likely to be taken off, but captain Sean Morrison had a word with the young player and Warnock decided he could stay on.
Soon after Grujic flew into another crunching tackle and this time match official Scott produced yellow and Warnock acted, opting to send on Greg Halford.
The aggressive and competitive Grujic went off because it looked likely he was one bad challenge from seeing red.
Leeds have won only one of their last 11 home league games against Cardiff, losing seven of them and drawing three, while Warnock has faced his former club five times and won five since he left Elland Road in April 2013.
Cardiff’s first goal went in after nine minutes when Paterson headed in from Traore’s cross, while Hoilett made it 2-0 with a right-foot shot from Paterson’s pass.
Morrison added the third during first half injury time when he headed in from a near perfect Hoilett delivery.
Berardi’s first half dismissal was a major blow for Leeds, but the home side pulled a goal back after 54 minutes when Bamba turned a cross into his own net.
But this was Cardiff’s day and substitute Pilkington was left with a far post tap-in after good approach work by Hoilett and Paterson.
Now Warnock’s warriors focus on their next match against Millwall away next Friday evening.
Leeds United: Wiedwald, Berardi, Pennington, Jansson (Dallas 30), De Bock, Forshaw, Vieira, Alioski, Roofe, Hernández, Lasogga (Sacko 74). Subs not used: Lonergan, Anita, Grot, Vieira Nan, Pearce
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Paterson, Grujic (Halford 82), Ralls, Traore, Wildschut (Pilkington 55), Hoilett, Madine (Zohore 72). Subs not used: Feeney, Halford, Damour, Murphy, Ward.
Referee: Graham Scott
Attendance: 30,534.