Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington: Fight Preview
| What | Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington |
| Where | Utilita Arena, Sheffield |
| When | From 22:00, Saturday 7th October 2023 |
| How to watch | DAZN |
| Odds | Wood 4/11, Warrington 2/1 |
After a year of speculation, Leigh Wood is set to defend his WBA featherweight world title against Josh Warrington, at Sheffield Arena.
Wood (4/11) enters the bout in a rich vein of form, and will look to establish himself as the best 126lbs fighter in the world with victory over the former IBF champion.
2/1 outsider Warrington has only won one of his last four fights, but the Leeds man has never lost to a domestic rival and will be confident of keeping that streak intact.
But who will be victorious?
Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington: All You Need To Know
When is Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington?
The two Englishmen are set to meet for the eagerly-awaited featherweight fight on Saturday 7th October 2023.
What time is Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington?
Wood and Warrington should make their ringwalks around 22:30, depending on how long the undercard bouts go on for.
Where is Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington?
The fight is set to take place at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield – viewed as neutral territory for both Wood and Warrington.
The Arena was first opened in 1991 and can accommodate around 10,000 fans for big boxing events.
Plenty of top fights have taken place there down the years, including Welshman Joe Calzaghe’s match-up against Chris Eubank in 1997, when Calzaghe first won his WBO world title.
Sheffield-born boxers Naseem Hamed, Kell Brook and Clinton Woods have all also taken to the ring there in their home city.
Meanwhile, in November 2005, Ricky Hatton extended his unbeaten record to 40–0 when defending his IBF and Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight world titles, and also won the WBA belt when he knocked out Carlos Maussa at the venue.
Can I watch Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington on TV?
Yes, the bout will be shown live on streaming giant DAZN.
Are there any belts on the line for Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington?
Wood’s WBA featherweight world title will be up for grabs when the two Englishmen go head-to-head.
The Nottingham fighter is also the current British featherweight title-holder, but he faces a stiff examination against Warrington, who is a former two-time world featherweight champion, having held the IBF title twice between 2018 and 2022.
Warrington was also the British, Commonwealth, and European featherweight champion between 2013 and 2017.
What is Leigh Wood’s record?
Wood has a professional record of 27 wins and three defeats from 30 fights.
He has beaten the likes of Ian Bailey, Rafael Castillo and Michael Conlan during his rise up the rankings, with his three losses so far coming against Gavin McDonnell in February 2014, Jazza Dickens in February 2020 and, most recently, Mauricio Lara in February of this year.
Wood has since exacted revenge on Mexican Lara, beating him by unanimous decision in their Manchester rematch in May, when he regained his WBA featherweight belt.
What is Josh Warrington’s record?
Warrington also has a fine professional record, with 31 wins, two defeats and a draw so far from 34 fights.
The Leeds star made plenty of waves early on his career, as he gained a big local following by beating the likes of Youssef Al Hamidi in 2010 and then later Dennis Tubieron in 2015 – the latter success securing the then-vacant WBC International featherweight title.
Big victories over Kiko Martinez in 2017 then Lee Selby and Carl Frampton a year later – all in his home city – raised his profile further, before a first shock defeat came against Lara in London in 2021.
The pair squared off again – this time back in Leeds at Headingley Stadium – in a rematch in September 2021, but that scrap was stopped early and declared a draw when Lara suffered a significant accidental cut.
Warrington got back on track when beating Martinez again in March of last year to regain the IBF featherweight title.
However, his last outing ended in defeat when he lost to Mexican Luis Alberto Lopez at his preferred First Direct Arena venue in Leeds last December.
Who is the favourite for Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington?
Wood is the 4/11 favourite to win the bout, while Warrington is available at 2/1 to win.
Wood is 11/4 to secure victory by KO, TKO or Disqualification, while Warrington is 12/5 to come out on top in the same manner.
The Nottingham ace is 5/6 to win by Decision or Technical Decision, Warrington is 9/2 in the same market, while a draw is on offer at 14/1.
