During the live broadcast of tonight’s Anthony Joshua and Jermain Franklin at The O2 in London, it was announced how featherweights Mauricio Lara and Leigh Wood will fight a rematch on May 27, the fight to take place at The Manchester Arena. As fans know, Mexican danger-man Lara ripped Wood’s WBA 126 pound title from him earlier this year, this in devastating fashion.
Now, the proud, stopped-on-his-feet Wood has backed up his brave talk of wanting an immediate rematch. But will this fight be a case of repeat or revenge? The rematch will take place a mere three months on from the first fight, and this may simply be far too quick for Wood to be getting back in there with the man who took him out with that wicked left hook at the end of round 7. Can Wood have sufficiently recovered so quickly?
Again, Wood’s bravery is to be commended, but it’s too easy to see another win for Lara here. Having said that, Wood was boxing quite well before he got tagged, and maybe, maybe, the older man can avoid trouble for all 12 rounds. Wood never looked like stopping Lara, his best shots having little effect on the Mexican, so a points win looks to be Wood’s only chance of winning.
Lara, 26-2-1(19) enjoys fighting in the UK, him having previously beaten Josh Warrington a couple of years ago. There was the possibility of Lara fighting a rematch with Warrington next, with Warrington calling for the third fight. But instead, Nottingham’s Wood gets what he wants. Or he gets what he thinks he wants.
Wood, 26-3(16) could have, maybe should have opted to take a warm-up type confidence building fight, yet he has here acted like a true champion. It’s easy to root for a guy like Wood. Still, his May 27 fight does have the distinct look of a mission (nearly) impossible.
Has any British world champion who suffered a KO or TKO ever been able to get a revenge win just three months after losing to his challenger? Maybe you can think of one, but I sure can’t. Wood will perhaps make some boxing history if he can beat Lara in May!
