Leigh
Wood

From fighting out of leisure centres to selling out arenas, WBA World Featherweight champion Leigh Wood has been through it all.

After losing a decision verdict to Jazza Dickens in early 2020, Wood's link up with trainer Ben Davison proved a masterstroke.

He returned from a year-long lay-off with a stoppage win over Reece Mould before knocking out Can Xu in the 12th to win the WBA strap that summer.

Wood saved a career-best performance for his Nottingham homecoming against Michael Conlan, climbing off the canvas in the first round to produce one of the most devastating finishes of all-time in the 12th.

The 34-year-old was scheduled to face dangerous Mexican puncher Mauricio Lara in September 2022 but he was forced to pull out of the bout with a torn bicep.

The fight was eventually rescheduled five months later in a pulsating atmosphere at the Nottingham Arena. Wood was leading on all three judges scorecard before being put down by Lara in the seventh round. The Nottingham hero climbed off the canvas but trainer Davison threw in the towel with his fighter's best interests at heart.

Despite calls to take a bit of time off, Wood bounced straight back into the rematch in May 2023 and boxed to the perfect game plan to reclaim his World Title by unanimous decision in Manchester. Wood put Lara down in the second round before cruising to a wide points victory.

Unable to land a fight at the City Ground late summer, Wood instead defended his World Title against two-time World Champion Josh Warrington in Sheffield in October. Down on all three scorecards after six rounds, Wood used his get out of jail free card once again to stop Warrington in the seventh. He will now move up to 130lbs.