Leigh Wood lost his WBA featherweight title earlier today (Sat., Feb. 18, 2023) live on DAZN from inside Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England, as the British fighter was stopped by rising Mexican challenger Mauricio Lara with a seventh-round TKO.
Wood, who was coming off a memorable TKO stoppage over Irish fighter Michael Conlan back in Mar. 2022, was in control from the opening bell. The featherweight champion was actually up on all scorecards after the conclusion of six rounds.
?? Leigh Wood was up on all three cards at the time of the stoppage 58-56*2 and 59-55. #WoodLara pic.twitter.com/GZ5lQ8yG9P
— EverythingBoxing (@EverythingBoxi2) February 18, 2023
However, he made a dangerous mistake in the seventh frame and exchanged heavy shots with Lara at the same time. Lara connected with a huge left hook that sent Wood crashing to the canvas. The referee started to count and Wood eventually made his way back to his feet, but his corner had seen enough and threw in the towel.
The final moments can be seen above courtesy of DAZN.
Lara, 24, is now 26-2-1 as a professional boxer and hasn’t lost since suffering a 50-second knockout at the hands of Eliot Chavez back in 2018. The new WBA featherweight champion will have little time to enjoy this win as Wood has a rematch clause in his contract and will certainly call for one.