By: Sean Crose
Leigh Wood is as soon as once more the WBA featherweight champion of the world after besting Mauricio Lara this weekend on the AO Arena in Manchester, England. Lara, the person who gained the belt from Wood earlier this yr, really misplaced the title Friday on the scales. Still, it was ordered that Wood ought to as soon as once more be WBA champion, supplied he beat Lara within the ring, which he did on Saturday.
Wood correctly stored his distance within the first, opting to fireside from vary. The challenger continued to flick out his jab within the second whereas retaining the defending champion from touchdown successfully. Sure sufficient, Wood despatched Lara to the mat within the last minute of the spherical with a one-two mixture. Lara rapidly acquired again to his toes, however it was a telling improvement. The third noticed Wood intelligently retaining his distance as soon as once more, whereas successfully working his jab.
Lara discovered he wasn’t in a position to do something significantly substantial within the fourth, as Wood would maintain when the chance arrived for the battle to go to shut quarters. Lopez was aggressive within the fifth, clearly hoping to land on his man as he had when he knocked Wood out of their first battle. This time, nonetheless, Wood appeared ready to face Lopez’ energy by sustaining his distance and timing his foe’s punches.
With that being stated, Lopez landed a stable shot within the first a part of the sixth. Yet Wood was too cautious to permit the defending champion to land like that with frequency. At the halfway of the battle, the bout clearly belonged to Wood. Sure sufficient, Wood continued to field brilliantly within the seventh. Lopez even took to backing up at occasions.
It was apparent by the eighth that Wood had efficiently made the battle right into a chess match, which significantly upped his odds of profitable. Lopez might have been desperately seeking to land with relevancy, however Wood stored sticking to his plan of hitting and never getting hit. Now effectively answerable for the bout, Wood cruised by the ninth.
In the tenth, Lopez stored at bay by the seems Lara would provide, in addition to his feints and head motion. Lopez subsequently took to throwing desperately on the man he had as soon as vanquished. He ended up slipping to the mat at one level, which can have bothered his wrist. The eleventh provided extra of the identical, which is precisely what Wood and his workforce wished. Wood had clearly give you an excellent sport plan, and he carried it as much as and thru the twelfth and last spherical.
No one was doubtless shocked when Wood was awarded the choice win from the judges after the match had ended.
