Maurico Lara vs. Leigh Wood rematch on May 27th at AO Arena in Manchester

By Jake Tiernan: Former WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood volition beryllium taking a unsafe contiguous rematch with Mauricio Lara connected May 27th astatine the AO Arena successful Manchester, England.

The Lara vs. Wood rematch was announced contiguous for the UK erstwhile again. Wood (26-3,  16 KOs) didn’t person to instrumentality this fight, arsenic it was his enactment aft being dethroned by Lara by a seventh circular knockout earlier this twelvemonth connected February 18th successful Nottingham, England.

Lara (26-2-1, 19 KOs) was acceptable to determination connected and support his recently won WBA 126-lb rubric against Josh Warrington successful a trilogy match, but Wood chose to usage his rematch clause to effort and avenge his knockout loss.

Wood, 34, mightiness beryllium reasoning that helium was doing good against Lara done 5 rounds past February and appeared to beryllium connected his mode to a triumph erstwhile helium ran into occupation successful the seventh circular and was knocked down.

Leigh’s trainer amazingly pulled him retired of the combat aft he’d been knockdown, adjacent though helium looked fine. We’ll ne'er cognize for definite whether Wood could person travel backmost from the knockdown.

Wood volition beryllium warring smart, trying to debar getting caught successful exchanges with the almighty Lara. If Wood tin enactment composed and not get caught successful a war, he’s got a accidental of winning. Like past time, Wood volition person the location state vantage implicit Lara.

“Many things person changed since I became a satellite champion, but the hunger I person to proceed to beryllium a satellite champion is inactive precise big,” said Mauricio Lara to Matchroom Boxing.

Let’s tally it backmost X✌🏼🌍👑 pic.twitter.com/pPPHJB89lR

— Leigh Wood (@itsLeighWood) April 1, 2023

“Yes,  that’s what I imagine.  I’m hoping for a knockout. That’s what I’m moving on, and that’s what the combat is going to beryllium about,” Lara continued astir his rematch with the 34-year-old Leigh Wood.

“At the moment, we’re focusing connected Wood.  That’s what we privation to absorption on.  I’m precise committed to this fight. Yes,  I bash privation to combat him,” said Lara erstwhile asked if helium wants the trilogy clash against Josh Warrington if helium successfully defeats Wood successful their rematch connected May 27th.

“As you know, it’s thing personal, and I privation to destruct him. I committedness I’m going to combat arsenic a champion, and I’m not going to beryllium truthful complacent.  It’s going to beryllium a large amusement successful Manchester connected May 27.

“First of all, I privation to apologize to a batch of my fans successful the UK astir what happened successful the archetypal fight.

“Things conscionable happened, we talked, and Wood is doing okay, and it’s going to beryllium a large show. I anticipation the radical successful Manchester are going to beryllium lit due to the fact that it’s going to beryllium a large show.

“We person been doing galore changes. We cognize it’s going to beryllium a large show, and he’s a precise bully fighter.  You’re going to spot a caller Bronco and a stronger Bronco,” said Lara.

“Not really. He’s a precise beardown fighter, and helium conscionable gives it his each erstwhile he’s fighting, and helium showed it. We knew that it was going to hap sooner oregon later, but it’s happening sooner,”  said Lara erstwhile asked if helium was amazed that Wood chose to instrumentality the rematch close away.

“As I say, existent fearfulness is surviving successful my neighborhood. That’s conscionable my saying, but arsenic I said, this is my 2nd home, and I consciousness precise invited here.  I consciousness precise lukewarm for maine here,” said Lara astir warring successful the UK.

“I’m not going to hide. I didn’t fell earlier I was a champion, and I’m not going to fell present arsenic a champion,” said Lara.