Mauricio Lara Drops and Stops Bloody Leigh Wood To Win WBA Featherweight Title in Nottingham
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Nottingham, UK (February 19th, 2023)– A seemingly exhausted Mauricio ‘Bronco’ Lara, breathing heavily through an open mouth and trailing heavily on all three scorecards, landed a left hook to the jaw which sent a bloody Leigh Wood backwards to the canvas to his back, who beat the count of referee Michael Alexander, prompting trainer Ben Davidson to throw in the towel and halt the contest at 2:54 of the seventh round, giving Lara the World Boxing Association World Featherweight title in the main event of a nine bout card at Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, United Kingdom, on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Wood prompted the stoppage, to no avail.
A nasty accidental clash of heads in the first round left Wood, 26-3 with 16 knockouts, Gedling, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, Making a voluntary WBA defense, with blood streaming from the corner of his left eye down the side of his face for the balance of the rough contest. Wood consistently outworked Lara, now 26-2 with 19 knockouts, Mexico City, Mexico, overall with crisp pinpoint left jabs. Lara answered with right to the head and then left hook to the solar plexus body combinations. Lara is now 15-0-1 in his last 16 bouts. Lara was beaten twice in Mexico earlier in his career. The British have not beaten him in three tries on British soil, averaging less than six rounds each, all resulting in stoppages.
According to promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, there is a rematch clause for Wood with Lara, as in the same situation when Lara defeated Josh Warrington in 2021 and drew with Warrington in the rematch owing to a technical draw in two rounds where Lara got accidentally cut after an accidental clash of heads. Wood protested the stoppage and appeared able to continue, but his corner did not give him the benefit of the doubt with six seconds left in the round. Lara appeared to be gassed and ready to go himself, breathing heavily from his mouth. This was an exciting, close, competitive bout while it lasted, but Wood appeared to have Lara beaten, and was on the edge of stopping him when Lara’s knockdown occurred. Lara is 2-0-1 (Win TKO 9, TD2, and TKO 7) in Great Britain.
Motorsport Arena Undercard Results, Nottingham, United Kingdom:
Dalton Smith Win 12 Billy Allington, Super Lightweights
14-0 Sheffield Yorkshire prospect Smith retains BBBofC British Super Lightweight title
Gary Cully Win TKO 2 Wilfredo Flores (1:52)
16-0 Irish southpaw prospect Cully wins vacant WBA Inter-Continental Lightweight title
Cheavon Clarke Win 10 Israel Duffus, Cruiserweights
5-0 Gravesend Kent prospect Clarke wins at 10 round distance in only his fifth pro bout
Diego Alberto Ruiz Win 10 Gamal Rafai, Super Bantamweights
32 bout Argentine veteran Ruiz, winless in last four bouts which went to decisions, dropped 19-3 Yafai three times, in the second round, third round, and tenth round, to get the cards
Kieron Conway Win 8 Jorge Silva, Super Middleweights
Northampton’s 19-3-1 Conway wins 80-72 on referee Kevin Parker’s lone scorecard
Junaid Bostan Win TKO 7 Peter Kramer, Super Welterweights (1:30)
Rotherham Yorkshire southpaw prospect Bostan now 5-0 with five knockouts
Sam Maxwell Win 6 Shaun Cooper, Super Lightweights
Liverpool’s 17-1 ‘Super Sam’ Maxwell wins 60-54 on referee Kieran McCann’s scorecard
Aaron Bowen (Pro Debut) KO 1 Mathieu Gomez, Super Middleweights (1:35)
Pro debut for Coventry West Midlands Commonwealth Games Bronze Medalist Bowen
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