Wood chooses to Dance with the Devil

Post first appeared on Bookmakers.com

Nottingham’s Leigh Wood, 26-2 (16ko), will attempt to defend his WBA Featherweight title on Saturday night against dangerous Mexican Mauricio Lara, 25-2-1 (18ko), in a bout initially scheduled for the Autumn of last year. Billed as ‘Dance with the Devil’, to reflect the danger Lara represents, this will be Wood’s second fight as belt holder following an upset victory over Can Xu in 2021 to win the Interim championship and a thunderous, rousing knockout of Ireland’s Michael Conlon, again as the underdog, in the British fight of 2022.

And arguably the toughest assignment available in the division.

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February 15, 2023 0

Leigh Wood to face wild Mexican Mauricio Lara

Article first appeared on BigFightWeekend.com

Two days ago, late night idling, I tuned in to a Twitter Space devoted to boxing. A handful of speakers and even fewer listeners. Some proclaimed a professional association to the sport, others merely lay opportunists, sharing profanity laden ‘shock jock’ opinions. It was an interesting medley. My visit lasted about the time it takes to endure a 40-36 show opener.

Extraordinary among this mundanity was the disdain shown for almost every fighter discussed. Listeners to the space may be surprised to learn just how many “bums” currently hold world title belts. I know I was. Among them, the panel suggested, was Leigh Wood, the Featherweight from Nottingham who was last seen knocking out Michael Conlon to secure the WBA belt.

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January 12, 2023 0

‘Bronco’ Lara throws Warrington from the Featherweight saddle

It is hard to know where to start a fight report on Josh Warrington’s contest with unheralded Mexican, Mauricio Lara. The 22-year-old, who catapults himself from anonymity and small purses to the world scene with the victory, remains the same boxer he was on Friday. He is still slow, with wide punches, ponderous feet and a propensity to mark up. But he has, whatever circumstances prove to have been in play, battered the best Featherweight in the world and knocked him out in spectacular fashion.

Congratulations to him for taking the fight and grabbing the chance. Almost everything else about the night felt wrong.

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