Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara LIVE: Result as Briton regains title with points win
Re-live updates as Wood fought to regain the WBA featherweight title, which Lara won from him in February but lost on Friday after missing weight
Leigh Wood regained the WBA featherweight title with a decision win over Mauricio Lara on Saturday, avenging a knockout loss to the Mexican in the process.
Wood was fighting in his hometown of Nottingham in February when he suffered a controversial TKO defeat by Lara, who took the WBA belt from the 34-year-old in Round 7.
However, Lara, 25, was stripped of the title on Friday (26 May), after failing to make weight for his Manchester rematch with Wood. Furthermore, only Wood was eligible to win the vacant title in the main-event bout.
And Wood did just that, knocking down Lara in Round 2 and going on to beat the Mexican via unanimous decision. Elsewhere, Chris Billam-Smith won his first world title, and Michael Conlan suffered a brutal KO loss – more on those results below.
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Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Terri Harper vs Ivana Habazin
Round 1
Both women stand orthodox. They’re content just to feel each other out in this opening round, with not too many punches being thrown early on.
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Terri Harper vs Ivana Habazin
Next up, Terri Harper defends the WBA women’s super-welterweight title against Ivana Habazin.
Havazin is stepping in for Cecilia Braekhus, who withdrew from her bout with Harper due to illness last week.
Harper and Braekhus were due to clash in Dublin, but the latter’s withdrawal saw Habazin step in as the fight was delayed by seven days.
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Aqib Fiaz def. Costin Ion via decision (76-75).
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Round 8
Final round! Fiaz looks to get behind his jab. Ion seems to catch him with a left hook.
Fiaz holds Ion now. The referee separates the fighters.
Forward comes Ion, who had the best spell of this fight but is surely still in need of a finish.
Ion with a good left hook to the body. Now one to the head.
Fiaz leans on his opponent to kill time. Both fighters land shots in close.
We’ll go to the judges’ scorecards!
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Round 7
Ion, as you’d expect, applies more pressure. Fiaz holds him and has him in a headlock.
They separate, and both men throw winging hooks. Fiaz lands with one of them! Ion reverses the position and backs up his opponent against the ropes, though.
The crowd is very much into this contest now.
Hard right overhand by Ion, but a composed Fiaz connects with a left hook.
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Rounds 5, 6
More forward pressure from Ion, who continues to target the body of Fiaz with hooks, but he misses up top.
Fiaz times a left hook to the head well on the counter. More grappling now.
Ion is well out of range with a hook effort.
But he lands with the next shot, and he drops Fiaz! Fiaz beats the referee’s count, but he’s on shaky legs...
Ion with a strong uppercut in close as he goes for the finish; Fiaz looks to hold... and he makes it to the bell!
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Round 4
Fiaz skips to the centre of the ring. Ion is keen to put him on the back foot, though.
Now Fiaz is staggered slightly by a left hook! Good composure by him to stay on his feet.
A bit of holding ensues.
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Round 3
Both men are orthodox, with Fiaz fighting out of a Philly shell and Ion keeping a high guard. Ion steps forward and lands two sharp jabs, before blocking Fiaz’s own jab attempt.
Ion curves a right hook onto the belt line of Fiaz now, but he’s stumbled somewhat by a nice counter jab to the head.
Fiaz misses with a telegraphed right hook, and Ion punishes him with a well-timed jab.
Now Ion takes a knee after absorbing a hook behind the ear! He’s okay to continue, and he gets right back to throwing punches.
Fiaz goes for the same hook that hurt Ion earlier in the round, but it’s not quite there.
Leigh Wood vs Mauricio Lara 2 LIVE: Aqib Fiaz vs Costin Ion
Round 2
Apologies, some very brief technical difficulties during Round 1, but it was a good frame for Fiaz until the final 15 seconds, in which Ion put together some solid combinations and froze his opponent.
Clever head movement from Fiaz now to avoid some jabs by Ion. A left hook lands to the head of Ion, but he continues to press forward.
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