Leigh Wood dropped Mauricio Lara in a points win over former conqueror Mauricio Lara to reclaim his world title.
Lara returned to UK soil to take on Nottingham star Wood who was looking revenge after being stopped by the Mexican earlier this year. However it was to be a tough task for the Mexican who had been stripped of his world title on the scales after missing weight, with his rival only able to pick up the vacant belt on the night at the AO Arena in Manchester.
But it was the home favourite who got his revenge on the night earning unanimous decision win on the judges scorecards which read at 118-109, 118-109, 116-111 all in Wood's favour. The Nottingham star reclaimed his WBA featherweight title and is in a superb position for a unification clash against Luis Alberto
He said after the final bell: "I have had a fairytale career and now I want a f***ing happy ending in the City ground. I wasn't losing no matter what, 10lb no matter what. Mauricio Lara is a great fighter but I wasn't losing. I have a great team. I am here for the hard fights but guess what if I lose I come back and I beat them.
"Yeah I had keys to success, the body jab was the key to success and my team were bang on they won as well. I think Warrington makes sense and a Lopez unification would be even bigger. I probably have two fights and I really want my happy ending. I think this is the biggest win of my career. There is only one thing that is going to top it...."
Wood started at an electric pace in the opening two rounds and made his breakthrough in the second with a neat uppercut sending his rival stumbling to the canvas. Despite boxing well early on, Lara showed his threat could come to the fore at any given moment, as he continued to trade and sit down on his shots at points.
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However it was Wood who continued to dominate throughout which was reflected on the scorecards, with his high-level a total contrast to his rival's demolition job earlier in the year. The British star looked the fitter and more energetic on the night boxing his way to a win at the final bell, with Lara clearly lethargic and out-of-sorts following his failed brutal weight cut.
Josh Warrington will likely await the winner given the history of his rivalry with Wood, with a planned meeting likely to fall in the home of Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest. Lopez defeated Conlan with a brutal KO in Belfast and will likely form part of a huge title unification having recently beaten the Leeds star himself.
