Leigh Wood will defend his featherweight world title against Josh Warrington on October 7 in a huge all-British bout.
The Nottingham fighter became a two-time world champion in May when beating Mauricio Lara to pick up the WBA title at 126lbs, avenging the defeat three months earlier that saw him lose that belt.
Lara was stripped of his title after failing to make the weight for the rematch, but Wood opted to go ahead with the fight and it proved a wise decision as he eased to a comfortable points victory.
He will put his belt on the line at the Utilita Arena Sheffield in October against Warrington, who himself has fought Lara twice. The first of those bouts came in February 2021 and saw Warrington suffer the first defeat of his professional career, while the rematch came to a premature end as a clash of heads resulted in a bad cut above Lara’s left eye.
Warrington will have the opportunity to become a three-time world champion but knows he has plenty of questions to answer too after a difficult run. The 32-year lost his IBF world title to Luis Alberto Lopez at the end of last year, with the man from Leeds winning just one bout since 2019.
“This is a big fight,” Warrington said. “It doesn’t get much better than a domestic dust up for a World Title! I’m obsessed in becoming a three-weight world champion, to get back on top and that is going to show on the night.
“I will bring an army of fans to Sheffield and the atmosphere will be special. Leigh has had a good run and put some good wins together but I just don’t believe he can live with me. I hope he thinks my best days are behind me, on October 7 he’ll find out.”
Wood said: “In terms of the followings we’ve got, the football clubs and the cities, this is arguably the biggest British rivalry in the sport. For me, it doesn’t really get any bigger. Our styles will gel and that should make for a very exciting and entertaining fight. It should go down in British history.
“Josh has some great wins on his record and is obviously a two-time world champion, but this is a fight that he cannot lose. He’s never really been in a boring fight - but neither have I. This fight will be all-action and the fans should be in for a great night.”
