By Charles Brun: An agitated Leigh Wood says he was ready to start swinging on Mauricio Lara during today’s photo session when the Mexican warrior got too close during their face-off.
It might have ended badly for the aging Wood if he’d gotten froggish today with Lara because he’s got too much mileage on him, and his chin might not be up to a bare fistfight against the devasting puncher from Mexico City.
For Wood to be willing to risk injury in a simple photo shoot suggests that he might be thinking of a way out of the fight. If Wood is coming unglued just because Lara is getting too close to him during a face-off could be interpreted to mean that he wants a way out of this fight.
Hopefully, Wood can control himself during the final press conference and weigh in and not start swinging on Lara because it would be sad if he gets knocked cold by him and/or suffers a bad cut.
Lara (25-2-1, 18 KOs) had the 34-year-old Wood (26-2, 16 KOs) flustered when he told him point-blank that he made a mistake by “picking a Mexican” was going to result in him losing his WBA featherweight title this Saturday, February 18th.
Wood and the challenger Lara will be headlining this Saturday on DAZN at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.
The fight will take place in the Nottingham native Wood’s backyard in front of his own fans, but that actually could work against him because it’s going to result in Leigh choosing to trade shot for shot against the younger 24-year-old Lara.
Mauricio Lara: “Picking a Mexican was the best way to lose his title, and ‘Bronco’ Mauricio Lara will bring war and stop at nothing tow in that title,” said Mauricio Lara to Matchroom Boxing about WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood.
Leigh Wood: “I think he’s underestimating me, which is a good thing because everyone does,” said Leigh Wood of Lara. “I’m fit, I’m confident, I’m f***king resilient. He’s going to have to be something special to beat me, and even then, it’s not going to happen.
“I picked him. I was looking, he was getting close, and I thought, ‘Go on, touch me, and it’s going to go off,'” said Wood about his face-off with Lara today.
Lara: “I saw a lot in those eyes, and I’ll be his greatest fear on Saturday,” said Lara about his face-off with Wood.
Wood: “Like I said, experience takes over. I know this isn’t the time to get excited, riled or get excited or waste anything because you need it all for Saturday,” said Wood. “In that arena [Motorpoint] around the corner, it’s going to be a wolf pit, a proper cauldron.
“Where’s the translator? Tell him I picked him,” said Wood. “I picked you.”
Lara: “It’s great that you did. Love the belt; it’s mine. I hope you prepared really well. I hope you’re totally ready for this. It will be war, believe me. I’ll be your worst nightmare. I’ll clean up Warrington’s mess.”
Wood: “I’ve heard it all before.”
Lara: “But not from an opponent like me. As I said, Saturday will be a war. The fight will not go to the scorecards. There will be a knockout.”
Wood: “There’s nothing he can do.”