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By Jake Tiernan: IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez’s manager Kiki Magana says they want a unification fight next against newly crowned WBA champ Leigh Wood.

Magana says Lopez (28-2, 16 KOs), who destroyed Michael Conlan last Saturday night in Belfast, is willing to come to the UK to fight Wood (27-3, 16 KOs) if the price is right.

Unfortunately, Wood’s promoter Eddie Hearn said at the post-fight press conference that he wants Josh Warrington next for Leigh, even though he lost his last fight against Luis Lopez last December.

Hearn’s preference for Warrington, who some feel should have been disqualified in his fight against the Mexican talent for excessive fouling, is a sign that he recognizes that Luis Lopez is all wrong for Wood and would make easy work of the 34-year-old as he did against Conlan.

Wood is too easy to hit, and the nonstop clinching, straight arms, and running that he did against Lara wouldn’t work against Lopez because he would batter him with uppercuts from long range and pummel him in a clinch. Hearn obviously knows that, so he wants no part of letting Lopez fight Wood.

“Please go and tell him that he is next,” said Kiki Magana to Mirror Fighting about Luis Alberto Lopez wanting Leigh Wood next.

“We’re about to call Eddie Hearn and tell him ‘If the money’s right we’ll come to London, and we’ll fight Leigh Wood‘. It will be a full house.”

Wood was clinching like no tomorrow against the weight-drained Mauricio Lara and running away each time he would come forward.

Through much of the fight, Wood used the illegal straight-arm tactic to keep Lara from getting close to him. The referees are supposed to warn, penalize and, if need be, disqualify fighters that use the straight arm, but Wood got away with it all night against Lara.

“Certainly, Josh Warrington or a unification at the City Ground. He goes down as a real great for British boxing because the story of what he’s come back from is incredible,”  said Eddie Hearn to iFL TV about what’s next for Wood. “Maybe three or four [more fight].

Mauricio Lara had weight check on Saturday

Hearn revealed at the post-fight press conference last Saturday night that Mauricio Lara had a secondary weight check yesterday on the day of his fight with Wood for his team to see how much he weighed after rehydration.

Hearn didn’t say the upper weight limit for Lara, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it were within 10 lbs, which means a hydration limit of 139 lbs, perhaps even less. Lara looked like he was fighting on fumes from the opening bell, appearing as weak as water.

What was obvious during the fight is Lara looked weak, drained, and completely listless. Another interesting thing is Wood appeared bigger & heavier than him.

With not being allowed to make the 126-lb limit due to the Board’s ruling combined with the secondary weight-in on Saturday, with a likely rehydration limit, Lara, in effect, had no chance of winning. It was perfectly set up for Wood to win against a drained Lara.