After a thrilling stop by WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood in the final round against touted Michael Conlan at the weekend, IBHOF curator Graham Houston considers options for Nottingham in the running Man.
Leigh Wood will need some time to rest after winning an exciting featherweight title over Michael Conlan, but as he’s ready to get back into action, some exciting bouts await the late bloomer. Membrane of Nottingham.
The number 126 is rich and weak. Promotional affiliates can stand in the way of some potential beef sellers, but there’s no shortage of worthy competitors either.
But first, a word about Wood. He is 33 years old but is said to be at his peak.
Wood seemed to be getting nowhere after losing to Jazza Dickens. But he upset the odds twice in a row, preventing China’s Xu Can from becoming the WBA champion, then defending an impressive title against Conlan, winning each time in the final round.
Wood is dominating Xu but has to come from behind before Conlan. Things looked fine for Wood in the first round of horror last weekend but by the fourth season, he’s fighting back into the game. I haven’t seen such a rematch since Juan Manuel Marquez recovered from three first-round knockdowns to take on Manny Pacquiao for a draw.
But come to think of it, Wood never had a bad fight. Everyone who witnessed him overcome adversity last weekend will certainly want to see him again. But who is likely to be in the opposite corner? Let’s take a look at the top featherweight players, including some potential opponents for Wood.
Emanuel Navarrete
Heavyweight second-place champion Navarrete has a relentlessly shifting, high-volume style of play that makes him very hard to beat. He is the number 1 featherweight athlete in the world. Wood has shown he deserves to be ranked among the best at 126 pounds, but he will be a definite underdog compared to Navarrete and, in any case, the fight could be tough. currently, with Navarrete one of the stars in the Top Rated stable. and Wood in the Folding Matchroom.
Leo Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz is 33 years old, the same age as Wood. He did, however, have 41 fights and this included several fights, plus a 130-pound KO defeat to the Davis Tank, although he seemed to have lost nothing by flying to the decision before Keenan. Carbajal last month. Santa Cruz is a stellar boxer with a high punching performance and he’s the WBA’s “Super” champion – but Wood will be the puncher in the fight. It was a match Wood could have won, but when the Premier Boxing Champion promoted Santa Cruz, it was unlikely: PBC tends to keep things in-house.
Mark Magsayo
Invincible Filipino Magsayo caused a stir when he overcame Gary Russell Jr to win the WBC title. Magsayo has an interesting style and the showdown between him and Wood will be a treat for fans. But, alas, Magsayo is with the PBC so the fight is likely not going to happen.
Winner among Josh Warrington with Kiko Martinez II
Now we talk. Whoever wins Warrington and Kiko will be a perfect match for Wood. The style will gel. And all three boxers were promoted by Matchroom. Although Warrington was favored to beat Kiko, it is far from certain that he will repeat his 2017 victory over the resurrected Spaniard veteran.
Michael Conlan
Once both men have recovered, who wouldn’t want to see them do it all over again? However, Conlan may want to ease back into the action with a pretty clear showdown. No one can blame him for that. In the meantime, here are some of Wood’s main opponents and possible future opponents,
Mauricio Lara
Lara would be a dangerous opponent for Wood. God, he’s a dangerous opponent for anyone. Just ask Josh Warrington. But while Lara is tough and heavy-handed, he’s not impregnable – Emilio Sanchez made him look a little wobbly in their wild three-round shootout earlier this month.
Luis Alberto Lopez
Lopez is on the mend after losing to Southpaw Ruben Villa three years ago. He’s an aggressive fighter, a little unorthodox and sometimes a bit wild, full of confidence, and he has a distinct Mexican mark on his body. Lopez is also known to British fans after his KO win over Isaac Lowe.
Brandon Figueroa
Texas firefighter Figueroa boxed at 122 pounds but he placed 2nd as a featherweight contender in the latest WBA rankings. As an attacking player with an all-out, pressure-packed fighting style, Figueroa’s “Heartbreaker” moniker has dual meanings: he’s a handsome devil but in the ring he breaks hearts. with his breathless style. Figueroa is playing for the PBC but if the WBA makes him the mandatory challenger, a match against Wood could happen on a pay-as-you-go system. And it will be a war.
Anselmo Moreno
Former bantam champion Moreno is 36 years old, so he’s at a pretty old age, but he’s on a five-win streak. Moreno is a cunning, sly nampaw veteran, a gritty puncher and he’s 3rd in the WBA rankings. Seeing as Moreno is Panamanian, and the WBA is based in Panama, it wouldn’t be surprising he was elevated to mandatory challenger.
Joet Gonzalez
Gonzalez’ had only two losses against elite fighters, Emanuel Navarrete and Shakur Stevenson. He has a relaxed style with his educated pressure and great punches from the head and body. Gonzalez vs Wood will be an interesting matchup. Even though Gonzalez is in the top tier, I don’t think his promoter will stand in the way of him getting a title chance against Wood.
Main image: Mark Robinson / Matchroom Boxing.
