By: Sean Crose
The WBA featherweight world title will likely be on the road Saturday in Nottingham, England when the 25-2-1 Mauricio Lara takes on 26-2 defending champion Leigh Wood in a scheduled 12 rounder on the Motorpoint Arena. Englishman Wood, whose final combat offered a knockout of the 12 months ending when he actually knocked a ferocious Michael Conlan out of the ring final March, will clearly be the native hero strolling on this weekend to face Mexico’s Lara. Still, Lara will not be a person to be simply discouraged.
“It was a tough fight,” Lara mentioned of final 12 months’s Wood-Conlan throwdown. “We know that he’s damaged coming into this fight, but he’s coming to defend his title and that’s what I want.” Not that the person isn’t grateful for the chance offered him this weekend. “I’m grateful to him (Wood) for taking this fight. We know nobody wants to face me at 126lbs for a World Title but this one will happen, and we know what we are capable of doing.” Lara additionally made it clear that realizes he’s in with critical competitors on Saturday.
“We know it’s a big fight,” he mentioned. “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.” Lara went on to state his perception that this weekend’s combat may finish early. “We know he’s a great fighter,” he mentioned of Wood, “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.”
Promoter Matchroom Boxing writes that Lara “has waited patiently for his first World Title shot following his brilliant win over ‘The Leeds Warrior’ Josh Warrington back in February 2021 – a win that would have seen him crowned the new IBF 126lbs king if Warrington had not vacated his title a month prior to their behind closed doors clash.” A second combat with Warrington resulted in a draw due to a lower Lara suffered from an unintentional head butt. Suffice to say, Warrington has acknowledged he feels Wood will win on Saturday.
“Well,” Lara has responded, “what can someone who got knocked out in 9 rounds have to say?”
