Leigh Wood gets his revenge, defeats Mauricio Lara in rematch

Underdog Leigh Wood wanted his WBA featherweight title back.

Badly.

To get it he’d have to beat him man who flattened him three months ago.  He’d have to beat the doubts – and stay out of danger for 36 minutes.

Mission accomplished.

Wood fought a disciplined and tactical fight. He floored Lara in round two - winning the fight going away on the scorecards.   

Scores were 118-109 twice, 116-111 all three for Wood.

“What a feeling,” said Wood. “I wasn’t losing tonight.”

In round one, Wood jabbed the body. Lara backed off. He landed a left hook. Wood absorbed it. He jabbed some more. The dangerous Lara patiently waited for an opening. Wood connected with a right at the bell. Lara fired the first punch in round two.

Despite using lateral movement, Wood couldn’t avoid getting hit by another left hook. Seconds later, Wood landed an uppercut, sending Lara to the canvas. Lara got up quickly. He was OK and showed it by winging wide hooks that Wood avoided.

In round three, Wood hit Lara with a right, but Lara’s head jolted Wood. Wood landed again seconds later. Lara went to the body. A combination buzzed him. Wood continued to stab shots to the belly. Lara returned the favor – landing a thudding right to the ribs. Lara stalked Wood in round four. Wood jabbed and avoided to big sweeping left hooks. Both fighters landed. Lara dug downstairs. He really sits down on his punches. Wood landed a short right. 

In round five, Wood, with a cut over his left eye, caused by a butt, continued to box. He landed two straight rights as Lara prepared to pounce. Wood used his legs to stay out of danger. And jabbed. Lara fired several left hooks. A couple landed but did no damage.  

Wood’s jab scored in round six. Lara landed to the heart, but Wood used his legs to stay out of danger. Lara rushed in. Wood stabbed him with more jabs.

The first fight ended in round seven when Lara connected with a huge left hook. Lara tried to do it again, but Wood was having none of it. His left was working. Lara ate an uppercut and missed a right. Wood landed two rights and an uppercut. At the bell ending the stanza, he raised his arm.

Wood got off first in round eight. Lara was waiting too much. He needed to pick up the pace. Wood slipped in an inside right. Lara fired, but Wood’s footwork kept him out of range. Wood was winning rounds. In round nine, Wood feinted. Lara looked to be pacing himself. Not good. Lara connected with a right. Wood stuck out his left again and again. Wood jolted him with a right. Lara missed wildly.

In round 10, Wood landed a right. Lara’s left landed on Wood’s right glove. Lara pressed forward awkwardly. Wood outworked him to capture another round.

With two rounds to go, Wood’s lead on the judges’ scorecards was likely significant. 

Wood moved and jabbed and round 11. It appeared that Lara didn’t have a second wind. His pace was the same. Wood was the sharper and fresher fighter. He moved away as Lara loaded up. 

Wood jabbed (of course) in the 12^th and final round. Lara landed a left. Wood did what he has done the entire fight. He kept most of the action in the center of the ring - connecting with a right to the whiskers. He staggered Lara with his own left hook. Lara fired shots. Nothing landed.