Matchroom Boxing will kick off 2023 with great success as Leigh Wood defends her WBA Featherweight world title on February 18 in her hometown of Nottingham against Mexican boggart, Mauricio Lara.
The pair were due to play late last year, however, a training injury to Wood’s arm forced him to withdraw. Lara has insisted that the British are tricking him – which this announcement proved false.
Wood won the belt when he stopped Can Xu in 2021 and successfully defended it against Michael Conlan in what many see as the 2022 fight. Early elimination in Nottingham, Wood weathered the storm against the sleek Irishman to deliver a terrifying knock-out in the twelfth round.
Now, not content with any easy touch, Boxing room announced that Wood (26-2, 16 KOs) has fulfilled his promise to face Lara (25-2, 18 KOs). The champion said it was a personal matter.
“Mauricio Lara has made things personal between us with the lack of respect he has for me regarding my injury and my country. I will show him all about me. See you on February 18 Nottingham – And Still!”
Lara is famous in the north. He arrived during the lockdown, a relatively new presence for many fans, but proceeded to punish Josh Warrington to a halt. In their scheduled rematch, he performed well before suffering a cut around his left eye from a head impact forcing the referee to signal the match and call it a draw.
The Mexican has been convinced he deserves a title ever since, and not many fans would disagree. He told Matchroom he was very confident.
“I have been waiting for this opportunity for two years and I am not going to waste it. In February 2021 I beat Warrington in England, now in 2023 I will do the same with Wood.
The 126lbs WBA World title goes to Mexico, which I promised my daughter, my family, my team, and my country. Your moment has come to Leigh Wood, no “trauma” can save you from this.
Promoter Eddie Hearn aptly described it as a fight where you’ll have to ‘see through your fingers’.
The pair have 34 knockouts between them and are notorious for looking for stops instead of accumulating points. With added hostility, not many punters will choose this to go far. The fight was advertised as ‘Dancing with the Devil’.
The action will be broadcast live on DAZN worldwide, with extra cards to be announced soon and tickets on sale from Thursday, January 12.
