LEIGH WOOD VS. JOSH WARRINGTON RESULTS & FULL CARD VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
By DAZN Boxing
Sheffield, England (October 8th, 2023)– Leigh Wood did it again, shocking Josh Warrington with a knockout shot at the end of round seven to earn a TKO victory and retain his WBA featherweight title in Sheffield, England.
Nothing had gone right for Wood (28-3, 17 KO) on the night to that point, as Warrington (31-3-1, 8 KO) had probably won all but one round, and was putting the hurt on Wood repeatedly to both the head and body.
Wood, on his side, just did not look comfortable in the fight, as Warrington was beating him in every facet, and frankly, Wood looked like he just didn’t have much snap on his shots or particularly steady legs.
And then it happened.
Late in the seventh round, Wood landed a right hook from the southpaw stance — which he’d employed for much of the bout — that rocked Warrington, and the titleholder followed with two more clean hooks that put Warrington down.
The Leeds challenger did get up, but referee Michael Alexander called the fight off instead of giving Warrington a chance to recover between rounds in the corner, as the bell had gone to end the round, but the referee had to make the decision, and he didn’t see Warrington in a position to continue.
It’s another stunning comeback win for Wood, bringing to mind his incredible, Fight of the Year rally against Michael Conlan in 2022.
“This has got to be up there, I beat a legitimate two-time world champion,” Wood said. “We got the knockout in the end, and I’m one fight away from getting my fairy tale ending.”
“I knew the further the fight, the sloppier he gets, and the more openings I would have,” he said of his approach, while also saying he was disoriented early in the fight from shots that landed to the back of the head. Warrington did have a point taken in round seven for the fouls, though it wouldn’t wind up mattering.
As for that fairy tale ending, Wood said he’d probably be back next summer, and he wants his long-desired fight at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.
Warrington felt he could have continued.
“I switched off for a second,” Warrington said. “He caught me with a good shot, but I felt good. … I’m a bit disappointed, I feel let down. That’s two losses on the balance, but I don’t feel they’ve done me justice. The stoppage is what it is on record.”
Warrington said he “hopes it ain’t the last one,” but did hint that it could be. He did say he would like a rematch, and that he would like to be the one to face Wood at City Ground.
Wood and promoter Eddie Hearn both said this will be Wood’s final fight at 126 lbs, and that he will get his City Ground bout next year.
Eddie Hearn admitted his surprise that Leigh Wood was able to hold onto his title.
The 35-year-old came up against Josh Warrington on Saturday night and for the best part of seven rounds he appeared to be out of the running in the fight.
However with little remaining of the seventh, a brutal shot with his left rocked his opponent, and he then followed up with a flurry of blows that sent Warrington to the canvas.
While the fallen man beat the count, the referee decided to bring things to a stop before the eighth round could be started.
Speaking after the fight to the BBC, Hearn said he thought Warrington was looking likely to win.
“I said to Tony Bellew that I thought Leigh was done,” he said.
“He looked almost like he was sulking. I thought he was a round away from losing.”
“Josh switched off for a second and it was goodnight Vienna.
“Josh was desperate to carry on and he was trying to compose himself. He didn’t have his senses to carry on. The ref made the right decision, what a thriller.”
Results
- Leigh Wood TKO-7 Josh Warrington (3:00) [Highlights]
- Terri Harper D-10 Cecilia Braekhus (95-95, 95-95, 97-93) [Highlights]
- Kieron Conway TKO-6 Linus Udofia (0:02) [Highlights]
- Hopey Price TKO-12 Connor Coghill (1:29) [Highlights]
- Junaid Bostan TKO-6 Corey McCulloch (2:07) [Highlights]
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