Wood to defend featherweight title against Warrington on October 7th

Featured images: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.

Matchroom Boxing have confirmed that WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood will defend his title against former belt holder Josh Warrington on October 7th.

The all-British affair will take place at the Sheffield Arena on DAZN.

Wood regained the belt with a wide unanimous decision victory over Mauricio Lara in their rematch two months ago.

🏹 Sheriff of Nottingham vs The Leeds Warrior ⚔️@itsLeighWood defends his WBA World Featherweight Title against two-time World Champion @J_Warrington on middle ground at @SheffieldArena 🔥 #WoodWarrington live on @DAZNBoxing Oct 7 👊 pic.twitter.com/CcWoOcf1v4
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) July 31, 2023

The Nottingham man dropped the Mexican in the second round before cruising to a comfortable win on points three months after he was stopped inside seven during their initial encounter.

Wood was then initially ordered to defend his title against Uzbekistan’s heavy-hitting Otabek Kholmatov by the WBA after his five-round demolition win against Thomas Patrick Ward in March.

The sanctioning body approved a bout with Warrington on Sunday however with the winner required to face Kholmatov in their next bout.

Leeds’ Warrington hasn’t fought since losing his own title to another Mexican in Luis Alberto Lopez in December of last year.

The latter edged a narrow majority-decision win on the cards in Warrington’s home city to claim the IBF belt at 126lbs.

Wood avenged his February defeat to Lara via unanimous decision in May. *Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.*

Lopez’s victory saw an end to Warrington’s second reign as champion after he vacated the IBF title back in January 2021.

The 32 year old faced the aforementioned Lara the following month to suffer the first defeat of his pro career after nine brutal rounds.

Their rematch ended via technical draw seven months on due to a cut sustained to Lara’s left eye before a return fight with Spain’s Kiko Martinez saw Warrington reclaim the IBF title at Leeds’ First Direct Arena before facing Lopez.

Both men will come face-to-face in two separate press conferences tomorrow – the first taking place at the Aspire in Leeds before they travel to the Albert Hall Conference Centre in Nottingham later in the day.