On the verge of losing his title, Leigh Wood knocks out Josh Warrington

Gutsy.

Ballsy.

Courageous. 

And lethal. 

WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood, bleeding and trailing on the cards, did what he does.

Saturday night at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England, he battled back from the brink to knock out the equally gutsy Josh Warrington.  

In the opening stanza, the quicker Warrington fired the first punch. He landed a left hook. Wood let fly with right hands. Warrington went to the body. Wood (28-3, 17 KOs) switched to southpaw. He fired a left. Warrington fought back. 

Wood landed a thudding left to the ribs in round two. Seconds later, Warrington (31-3-1, 8 KOs) ran into another left. Warrington landed a right, but the round had to go to Wood.

The motivated Warrington came out throwing bombs in round three. A few landed. Wood looked unsteady - but held on. Warrington landed another right. Wood fired a combination. Warrington worked the body conclusively. 

In round four, Wood tried to flip the momentum. He went back to orthodox for a few seconds. Warrington ignored it and worked up and down. Wood jabbed but ate a couple of rights. He was bleeding from a cut on the side of his right eye.

Wood landed a right in round five. Warrington clipped Wood with another combo. Warrington dug to the body. Wood was feeling the shots. 

In round six, Wood fired his own left. Warrington tagged him with rights to the noggin. Warrington was busier and fresher. 

Wood came out jabbing in round seven. Warrington snapped back with three jabs. Warrington was deducted a point for blows behind the head. Warrington strafed Wood with a long right and left. He was half a step faster. Warrington roughed Wood up on the inside. 

Then, everything changed. 

Wood, nicknamed “lethal” was obviously trailing on the cards. Blood dripped from his right eye. His corner was worried. 

Near the end of the heat, another round that he was losing, Wood landed an enormous right that snapped Warrington’s head - followed by three blistering hooks that sent the former champion to the canvas on his back.

The Leeds warrior got up, but referee Michael Alexander decided the fight was over. 

“I just beat a legitimate two-time champion,” said Wood. “He’s a tough kid. I got game-changers.”

“He caught me with a good shot,” Warrington said who was unhappy with the stoppage.