Mauricio Lara goes up against reigning WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood at Motorpoint Arena Nottingham in Nottingham, England on Saturday, February 18. The pair squares off in a 12-round main event live on DAZN.
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Lara (25-2-1, 18 KOs) is coming off a pair of third-round stoppage wins against Jose Sanmartin and Emilio Sanchez. Before that the 24-year-old faced former world champion Josh Warrington in a rematch, that ended in a draw via technical decision, after “Bronco” suffered a cut from an accidental head clash. In their first fight with Warrington, who vacated the title a month prior to the bout, Lara came out on top via ninth-round TKO.
Wood (26-2, 16 KOs) of Gedling, Nottinghamshire was in action late last year when he retained his belt via 12th-round TKO against Michael Conlan. The 34-year-old earned the vacant title in July 2021 via stoppage of Xu Can also in the final round.
Wood and Lara were originally scheduled to square off last September at the same venue. The bout was postponed after Wood suffered a torn bicep in sparring and was forced to withdraw. A new date was confirmed early 2023.
‘If he switches off, the fight will be over quickly’
“It was a tough fight [for Wood against Conlan],” Lara said. “We know that he’s damaged coming into this fight, but he’s coming to defend his title and that’s what I want. I’m grateful to him for taking this fight. We know nobody wants to face me at 126 lbs for a world title, but this one will happen, and we know what we are capable of doing.”
“We know it’s a big fight. We know it’s the acid test. We know Leigh Wood is a great champion but I have big aspirations and a great desire to become World Champion and as I’ve said, whatever it takes, I have to do it this time.”
“We know he’s a great fighter but it’s going to be a really tough fight for him. We know how we’re preparing, we’ve caused an upset before in his country and it will be the same on February 18. Believe me, if he switches off, the fight will be over quickly. It won’t go beyond the fifth.”
Former two-time IBF featherweight champion, Warrington (31-2-1, 8 KOs), who regained the title last March by TKO against Kiko Martinez, but then lost dropping a majority decision against Luis Alberto Lopez in December 2022, reportedly picked Wood to defeat Lara.
“Well, what can someone who got knocked out in 9 rounds have to say? Who got his jaw fractured, his shoulder and elbow damaged. Chickens always criticize people but he knows ‘Bronco’ Lara is coming for him and I will destroy him.”
In the co-main event, Dalton Smith (13-0, 10 KOs) of Sheffield, Yorkshire defends his British super lightweight title against Billy Allington (10-1-4) of Isleworth, London. Also on the card, Ireland’s Gary Cully (15-0, 9 KOs) and American Wilfredo Flores (10-0-1, 5 KOs) battle it out for the vacant WBA Intercontinental lightweight belt.
Get Wood vs Lara full fight card and start time.
In Australia, the event airs live on Sunday, February 19.
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