Leigh Wood Wins the Real Combat Media 2022 Ko of the Year

Lethal Leigh Wood Wins the “Real Combat Media Knockout of 2022” With His Win Over Michael Conlan

By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent

Nottingham, UK (December 23rd, 2022)– Twice in world championship bouts, world-class fighters entered the twelfth and final round with Leigh Wood. Both times, Can Xu and Michael Conlan hit the deck of the final round, and were unable to make it out of the final round and reach the championship scorecards.

Wood, 26-2 with 16 knockouts, age 34, Gedling, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, behind on the scorecards entering the twelfth and final round in Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, knocked Michael Conlan out of the ring, down and out at 1:25 of the round 12 to score the most spectacular knockout of 2022 and retain his World Boxing Association World Featherweight title in the most improbable of comebacks.

Conlan decked Wood at the end of round one, who got up and was saved by the bell. Conlan battered Wood from pillar to post in the second round, who held on for dear life. A streaming blood eye cut off of the left side of Conlan’s face in round three began to turn the tide, as Wood held his own through the eleventh round, and kept his composure through heated exchanges. In rounds ten and eleven, Conlan seemed in reserve, fighting more with his back to the ropes. A slip by Conlan after a missed left hook was ruled a knockdown, despite the protests of Conlan and Conlan’s corner.

The twelfth and final round was a competitive toe to toe give-and-take thriller, until Wood unleashed the final combination which sent the heavily favored 16-0 visiting challenger Conlan back to Belfast, Northern Ireland, backward unconscious through the ropes, down and out. Wood has not reappeared in the ring. Conlan has won a ten-round decision and scored a first-round stoppage in Belfast since then, knocking down his two opponents a total of four times. A rematch between Wood and Conlan would be boxing dynamite in 2023, and promoter Eddie Hearn wants it. We hope so.




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Comment below of who was your pick of the Boxing KO of 2022 ???x

Real Combat Media Boxing KO of the Year Winner is Leigh Wood over Michael Conlan:

Real Combat Media Boxing KO 2nd place winner goes to Caleb Plant over Anthony Dirrell:

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Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert Brizel - Head Boxing Correspondent
Robert is the Head Boxing Correspondent for Real Combat Media Boxing since 2013. Robert is also a photographer and ringside reporter for the RCM Tri State region which includes NJ, NY and PA. Robert conducts exclusive interviews, provides historical boxing articles and provides editorial ringside coverage of major boxing events. You can contact or follow Robert on Facebook and by email at [email protected].