Leigh Wood will defend his WBA featherweight world title this weekend when he takes on Mauricio Lara in his home city of Nottingham.
The 34-year-old was supposed to face the Mexican last year in September but had to pull out of the original date due to a torn bicep. Here’s everything you need to know.
Where: Nottingham Arena, Nottingham
When: Saturday, February 18th
How To Watch: DAZN. The card is set to get underway from 6pm (GMT) and ringwalks for Wood vs Lara are expected at 10:30pm.
Tale Of The Tape:
Wood
Place Of Birth: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Residence: Gedling, Nottinghamshire
Age: 34
Alias: Leigh-thal
Record: 26-2 (16)
Height: 5’7’’
Reach: 67’’
Stance: Orthodox
Last Fight: Wood scored 2022’s knockout of the year in arguably the fight of the year last March, recovering from a first round knockdown to stop Michael Conlan in the 12th and retain his WBA featherweight world title.
Lara
Place Of Birth: Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Residence: Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico
Age: 24
Alias: Bronco
Record: 25-2-1 (18)
Height: 5’7’’
Reach: N/A
Stance: Orthodox
Last Fight: Lara stopped Colombia’s Jose Sanmartin in three rounds in Mexico City last October.
What They Say:
Wood: "Mauricio Lara has made things personal between us with the disrespect he showed me regarding my injury and my country. I'm going to show him what I'm all about."
Lara: "I have been waiting for this opportunity for two years and I am not going to waste it. Your time has come Leigh Wood, no 'injury' can save you now from this."
Full Fight Card:
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara, WBA featherweight title
Dalton Smith vs Billy Allington, BBBofC British super lightweight title
Gary Cully vs Wilfredo Flores, lightweight
Cheavon Clarke vs TBA, cruiserweight
Gamal Yafai vs Diego Alberto Ruiz, super bantamweight
Kieron Conway vs Jorge Silva, super middleweight
Nico Leivars vs Alberto Motos, super bantamweight
Junaid Bostan vs TBA, super welterweight
*18+ | BeGambleAware
Opening image credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing
