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Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara LIVE: Stream, latest updates and result tonight

Re-live all the action as Wood lost the WBA featherweight title to Lara in controversial fashion

Alex Pattle
Combat Sports Correspondent
Friday 24 February 2023 11:08 EST
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Leigh Wood suffered a controversial TKO loss in his hometown clash with Mauricio Lara on Saturday, as the towel came in after a knockdown in the seventh round.

Wood appeared to be leading five rounds to one as the main event crossed its midway point in Nottingham, but Lara produced a brutal left hook almost out of nowhere to floor the WBA featherweight champion late in Round 7. Wood beat the referee’s count, but the 34-year-old’s coach Ben Davison threw in the towel with approximately 10 seconds left in the frame.

Wood was quick to protest his trainer’s decision, while Mexican Lara celebrated his title win across the ring. When asked by DAZN whether he was okay to continue, Wood said: “Yeah, I’m a fighter, you know? I want to go until I can’t see anything anymore. [But with the knockdown], I made a mistake and I paid for it.”

The main event marked Wood’s first bout since his fight-of-the-year contender with Michael Conlan at the same arena in March 2022. That night, Wood recovered from a heavy knockdown at the bell in the first round, going on to knock out Conlan in the final frame.

Re-live updates from Wood vs Lara and the entire undercard in Nottingham.

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Read our full main-event report here:

Leigh Wood suffers TKO loss to Mauricio Lara amid controversial finish in Nottingham

Wood, leading on the scorecards, beat the referee’s count after a knockdown late in Round 7 – but the towel came in anyway

Alex Pattle19 February 2023 00:07

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Wood: “A massive thank you to everyone. I appreciate you coming out tonight. I’ll be back.”

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:44

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Wood on whether he was okay to continue:

“Yeah, I’m a fighter, you know? I want to go until I can’t see anything anymore.

“[But with the knockdown], I made a mistake and I paid for it.”

Eddie Hearn reveals that Wood has a rematch clause.

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:43

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Mauricio Lara def. Leigh Wood via seventh-round TKO (2:54).

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:37

Wood vs Lara LIVE

That will prove a controversial finish.

Of course, fighter safety is the most important thing. Some will argue that Wood would likely have survived the final 10 seconds of the round and might have been able to recover.

He was certainly ahead on the judges’ scorecards, too.

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:35

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Round 7

As Indy Sport sees it, Wood is up five rounds to one.

Lara is starting to get through with his left hand, however, snapping back Wood’s head.

OHHH! Lara drops Wood with a left hook late in the round!

Wood beats the count, but the towel comes in!!

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:32

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Well, both fighters predicted that this bout would not reach its halfway mark. We’re officially into the second half!

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:28

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Round 6

Wood beckons to the crowd to make some noise.

Lara pierces Wood’s guard with a couple of sharp jabs. Wood walks Lara onto a right hand, then pours on more punches as the Mexican retreats to the ropes!

Lara is breathing more heavily here... He’s been cornered.

The fighters move back into the open. Wood’s timing is so precise at the moment.

Lara dives in with a pair of hooks. He ends the round with some better work.

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:28

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Round 5

Wood stays behind his jab before adding some hooks upstairs!

Lara comes back with a good sequence, but Wood replies in turn, pummelling his challenger’s mid-section.

Uppercut to the body, left hook to the head by Wood.

A perfect left hook strikes the chin of Lara. Again, he just gets on with it!

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:24

Wood vs Lara LIVE

Round 4

Wood jabs to the body; Lara curls hooks to the head! Wood stays composed.

Wood steps in with an eager right cross, as Lara is backed onto the ropes, but the Briton can’t quite time the punch.

Now he times one perfectly, though, in the middle of the ring! Impressive resilience from Lara for now...

Teasing jabs by Wood. He tags Lara hard with a left hook after receiving one to the body.

Alex Pattle18 February 2023 23:20

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