‘Leigh-thal’ and ‘Bronco’ about to brawl in WBA battle
‘Leigh-thal’ Leigh Wood (26-2, 16KO) defends his WBA featherweight title to meddling Mexican Mauricio Lara (25-2-1, 18KO) on February 18 in his home city of Nottingham.
The 126-pounders share the same number of losses and almost the same amount of wins and knockouts, so this pair are virtually identical on paper. But their styles are far apart.
The Mexican is just 24-years-old, 10 years Wood’s junior, and they measure up similar in height and reach, but the Brit is tall and rangy when he fights, unlike most of Lara’s recent opponents.
Darren Barker made a valid point about Leigh’s team, consisting of trainer Ben Davison and analyst Lee Wylie, calling for this fight against a dangerous puncher who travels well and upsets opponents in their own backyard. He questioned why they chose this fight when they didn’t have to and answered that they must have seen something in Lara’s game that they know they can expose. It is a very risky fight with low reward, so it raises suspicion there could be some tricks up Wood’s sleeve.
Lara has no respect for his opponents and throws a lot of shots aggressively. He stunned Josh Warrington and the rest of the world in February 2021 and now aims to do the same to Leigh Wood almost exactly two years later.
He rocked ‘The Leeds Warrior’ with left and right hooks straight from the start and floored Warrington early in the fourth, which is when the fight should have been stopped, but referee Howard Foster allowed the home fighter to keep going, and, as a result, absorbed another five rounds of pain and punishment until the stunning ninth-round stoppage, coming from a leaping left hook to the jaw.
He means business and always looking to hurt his opponents right from the get-go. Throwing so many shots means that a fighter will be vulnerable because there’s always going to be openings. He can drop his right hand when he throws his favourite punch – the left hook. He does get caught a lot, but he just blinks and continues marching forward.
Wood is a stand-up tall boxer, who uses his jab well to keep opponents at range. He is durable, tough and experienced. He was down in the first round of his last fight with Michael Conlan, taking a lot of clean shots early on, but he adapted and made it all the way to the final round where he scored a KO of the year contender.
Wood is on a great run having won three championship fights in a row by knockout against a very decent domestic threat in Reece Mould, followed by a defending world champion in Can Xu, and then came his career-best victory over unbeaten Irish sensation Michael Conlan in a dramatic 11th hour finish in March last year.
Lara is on a 15-fight unbeaten streak. His last loss was a shocking 50-second knockout defeat to Elliot Chavez in what was an unlucky 13th fight. He lost his pro debut by split decision, which tends to happen a lot more than people think.
Wood will likely opt to box at range to keep the Mexican at bay. He can give as good as he gets when exchanging in close, but he much prefers the space to his throw his straight shots at range. Lara will be looking to come in close to land his powerful hooks, but he will have to expend more energy than Wood to be able to fight his fight.
Both boxers have enjoyed sudden rises within the last two years of their careers, so whoever wins this brutal battle will certainly go on to succeed at world level next, with five different featherweight champions all available for lucrative unification clashes.
Betting Odds
Wood is narrowly the favourite to win at 2/1 with Betway, while visiting fighter Lara is a slight underdog at 2/5. The odds for a draw are very low at 14/1, suggesting it’s a very possible outcome.
Predictions
Both boxers have been floored and knocked out before in fights, so they are each vulnerable, and with their aggressive styles and high KO ratios, it’s difficult to see this one going the distance.
I love Leigh’s confidence and how he can envisage and really trust in his way to win; ‘Team Wood’ clearly have a solid gameplan. I assume it’s to stand up straight, throw straight shots from range, tangle Lara up and hold whenever he comes in close, and to counter his wide, looping hooks with precise punches in return. Is there a particular punch ‘Team Wood’ know they can land? Must be a left shot to the exposed right side of Laras’ head when he’s opening up… surely.
Lara’s output, pressure and power will be the key to his success. I’m expecting Wood to go down at some point, particularly picturing Lara’s favoured left hook here, but he’s so tough and brave, he will almost certainly rise again and I’m slightly sceptical if he can be finished off. Conlan tried and failed. And then got knocked out.
I think this is going be electrifying with both boxers landing big bombs on each other right from the first bell. First round knockdown could be a decent bet to place.
I hate to say it and go against the Brit, but I’m just leaning towards Lara to win by KO and finally get his world title. He’s so powerful and dangerous, but he is up against a harder style than Warrington, so it won’t be easy or quick.
