Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington have weighed-in for tomorrow’s WBA featherweight title fight, with both guys making weight with no trouble. Wood came in at 125.7 pounds, while Warrington tipped-in a fraction lighter at 125.3 pounds. It’s more than fair to say, both men look to be in absolutely superb physical condition, Warrington especially looking ripped. This one (cliché alert) really is a must-win fight for both men.
Defending WBA champ Wood, the older man by three years at age 35, said after he had weighed-in that this is a fight he has “been waiting for for five years.” Wood, a two-time champion the same as his challenger, says tomorrow’s fight will give fans “a special night.” There is no doubt, the Sheffield Arena will be rocking when the bell sounds for this one.
Warrington, 31-2-1(8) said after the weigh-in that he has been in with better fighters than has Wood, with the challenger stating that it will be “first time for Leigh really, [I’m] taking him to somewhere he’s not been before.”
Both men are promising an action-packed fight and still, just hours before the opening bell, so many of us are having a tough time predicting a winner. Wood, 27-3(16) says Warrington is not in any way “on the slide” as some people have suggested is the case. “He’s still dangerous,” Wood said of his challenger. “He’s still ballsy and this is his last shot. He needs to win this fight. He knows that. He’s got a big heart, he’s gutsy, ballsy. His mentality is a bit like me.”
It really does make for a potentially great fight, maybe even a Fight of the Year contender.
Woods says this is Warrington’s last shot at becoming a champion again, while he suggests tomorrow’s fight could be his own final bout at 126 pounds. Both men have plans for what they will do after they get the big win tomorrow. But of course, only one man will have his hand raised (barring a draw, which wouldn’t come as that big a shock, would it!).
Wood is the pick to win here, on points in a thriller that sees both men get hurt and have to dig deep in there.