Was Warrington Fight A Featherweight Finale For Wood?

The showdown between two-time Featherweight world champion Leigh Wood and former two-time Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington was one which was highly anticipated in the United Kingdom as it was an encounter that brought together two of the top fighters in the sport and two of the top draws in the United Kingdom as well. It was also a clash between two boxer/punchers that stylistically appeared as though it could be a fight of the year candidate.

Before an enthusiastic sellout crowd in the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England on October 7th, Boxing fans were treated to a memorable battle. Before the battle occurred however, there were questions regarding the condition of the WBA world champion Wood, who had struggled on the day before the fight to make the 126lb. Featherweight limit. This fueled speculation that no matter the outcome, Wood, who was making the first defense of his second reign as WBA world champion, would be moving up in weight after this fight. 

For a significant portion of the bout, Wood looked like a fighter that showed all the signs of someone who struggled to make weight and perhaps was overtrained. Although Wood attempted to keep Warrington at distance by Boxing out of the southpaw stance and trying to work behind his jab, the dynamic of the fight quickly became one where it was Warrington dictating the combat and forcing the fight on the inside.

Warrington did this by fighting out of a high defensive guard as well as crouching down underneath Wood's punches. This allowed the former IBF world champion to do two things. First it limited the ability of Wood to inflict damage, and secondly it created a scenario where Warrington could not only close the distance and get in close, but it also allowed him to vary his attack by mixing offense to the body and head of the champion. Gradually as the rounds progressed, Warrington began administering a beating on Wood by landing hard, thudding hooks to the head and body, as well as being able to push Wood back and make it a rough fight on the inside. Wood would also suffer a cut over the right eye in round four from a left hook by Warrington.

It appeared as though both because of the beating that was being dished out by Warrington as well as the apparent difficulty he had in making weight that this may not have been Wood's night as he continued to take punishment, did not use head movement, and thus could not avoid the hooks that the challenger was able to land with both hands. At the midway point of the fight, I felt Warrington had won five of the first six rounds due primarily to his effective aggression and landing the harder punches of the two fighters. While he was able to stagger Wood frequently throughout the bout, the champion showed his mettle and continued to engage. Having said this, after six rounds of mostly one way action and having seen the effects of the punishment at the hands of Warrington, this observer did question in his mind whether or not a time would approach where either the referee or Wood's corner would stop the fight.

Round seven began as many of the previous rounds had with Warrington coming forward and initiating the combat. Warrington's ability to rough up the champion on the inside worked against him however, as he would be penalized a point midway through the round for rabbit punching. As the closing seconds of the round occured, suddenly without warning, Wood exploded with a vicious right hand that badly staggered Warrington followed by a brutal right hook, left hook combination to the head that sent Warrington flat on his back down on the canvas at the bell to end the round. Although Warrington in showing mettle of his own was able to get to his feet, he got up on very unsteady legs and staggered to his corner turning his back to Referee Michael Alexander as he was attempting to determine whether Warrington could continue, resulting in the fight being stopped giving Wood a come from behind knockout victory in a successful first title defense of his second reign as world champion.

In a scene that resembled Wood's knockout win over Michael Conlan in his first reign as champion, Wood did not celebrate enthusiastically as most fighters would, especially after scoring a knockout in such brutal and thrilling fashion. Instead Wood immediately approached Warrington who sat in his corner dejected and emotional after the fight was stopped and embraced his opponent, consoling him and ensuring he was okay before celebrating his victory with his corner and the crowd in attendance. An example of "Class" and "Respect" that all fighters on every level of the sport should learn from.

The resemblance of his victory over Conlan in March of last year also had one other similarity as it relates to this fight. Wood was behind on the scorecards and like the Conlan fight, was approaching the point where he needed a knockout to retain his world championship.

An obvious question is what comes next? Perhaps this victory will be the finale of Leigh Wood's time as a Featherweight. Whether or not potential unification bouts in the Featherweight division are available, will ultimately factor into his decision on whether to move up in weight remains to be seen. As thrilling as this knockout victory was and as endearing as Wood has become to some fans for engaging in memorable battles, he will need to work on his defense if he hopes for continued success regardless of where on the weight scale his next fight will take place. While it can be an asset in having the ability to take a punch and sustain significant punishment, it can also be a curse and that does not necessarily revolve strictly around the remainder of a fighter's career, but more importantly, what a fighter's life might involve when their career is over. Looking to improve on the defensive elements of the sport should be a top priority not just for Wood, but for all fighters regardless of what stage they might be in their careers.

"And That's The Boxing Truth.

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Wood-Warrington Preview

One of the bigger bouts remaining on the Boxing calendar for 2023 will kick off the month of October as two-time Featherweight world champion Leigh Wood will begin his second reign as WBA world champion as he makes his first defense since regaining the title in May of this year, against former two-time Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington on Saturday, October 7th. The showdown in the 126lb. Featherweight division, which will take place at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England and will be broadcast globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN, has the possibility to be a sleeper candidate for Fight of the Year.

Not only does this encounter bring together two of the biggest stars that the United Kingdom currently has to offer, each with significant followings, but also two of the best the Featherweight division has to offer. Leigh Wood's recent career could probably be best described as a rollercoaster. Many likely remember his thrilling and brutal knockout of top contender Michael Conlan in March of last year. In many ways, this was a career definer for Wood, who had become world champion via the route of earning interim/regular champion status in the WBA's Featherweight ratings, but when then champion Leo Santa Cruz opted to vacate the title, it elevated Wood to world champion. Oftentimes, fighters who become champion in this way though through no fault of their own, are not given the same recognition as a fighter who wins a world championship by defeating the previous champion. Wood's victory over Conlan served as both a statement-making as well as a star-making performance for him.

As can happen in Boxing and by extension all combat sports however, there are also times where a fighter's stock can fall almost as quickly as it goes up. Wood experienced such a scenario when he was knocked out by the very dangerous Mauricio Lara in February of this year. The loss also resulted in the loss of the WBA world championship. While the loss to Lara was a case of Wood simply getting caught and subsequently stopped in a fight that he was ahead on the scorecards up to that point, it also gave him something to prove as he quickly opted for an immediate rematch in May. Although some questioned that wisdom, Wood produced a superb performance the second time around in Boxing his way to a convincing twelve round unanimous decision to regain the championship.

Now with his stock on the rise once again, Wood prepares to defend his crown against Josh Warrington. Similar to Wood, Warrington has also experienced the highs and lows that often come during a career. The former IBF world champion also has Mauricio Lara in common with Wood, as Warrington also fought two fights against him in suffering a loss and a technical draw in the rematch when the fight was stopped due to an accidental clash of heads resulting in a bad cut where Lara could not continue. Much like Wood, Warrington is a highly skilled boxer/puncher that has a full arsenal of skills.

Warrington however, will be coming into this fight off of a loss in losing the IBF Featherweight world championship in losing a twelve round majority decision in December of last year to Luis Lopez. While it is logical to suggest that this fight could be a tactical Boxing match given each fighter's skillset, one could argue that Wood does have an edge in power having scored knockouts in sixteen of his twenty-seven career wins compared to eight knockouts in thirty-one career wins. Both fighters have suffered knockout losses to the same fighter in Lara and both came as a result of being caught in fights that they were leading.

Given that both fighters have been vulnerable before, it would not surprise me to see each of them attempt to catch the other off guard by trying to land counter punches, but the possibility certainly exists that at some point this could turn into a fight where there are heated exchanges of offense. If the latter does indeed occur, it may come down to which fighter is able to land their power punches flush, that might determine who will win this battle.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Wood vs. Warrington takes place on Saturday, October 7th at the Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England. The fight as well as its full undercard can be seen in the United States and globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 11:45AM ET/8:45AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts followed by the main portion of the card, which will begin at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(*U. S. Times Only*) (*Card and Start Times Subject To Change.*

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.con. 

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Lopez-Gonzalez Thoughts

 Mexican Independence Day weekend has traditionally been one of the marquee dates on the Boxing calendar ever year routinely featuring some of the biggest fights in the history of the sport. The 2023 Mexican Independence Day weekend featured a bout for the IBF Featherweight championship of the world between defending champion Luis Lopez and two-time world title challenger Joet Gonzalez, who was getting his third opportunity to win a world championship. A fight that took place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, TX on September 15th. While many of the previous battles that have taken place during Mexican Independence Day weekend have featured fighters regarded as the marquee attractions in the sport facing off against each other, this fight may not have been regarded as being in that category by some, but it was a solid encounter between two world-class fighters and featured a world champion in Lopez, who’s star has been on the rise.

It was also a fight that featured a sub-plot of whether Joet Gonzalez, a solid top contender could finally get across the finish line to become a world champion after falling short in his previous two attempts. Although some may be critical of the structure in the sport that seemingly makes the path to a world championship easier in the eyes of some, it is still a task that can prove easier said than done, and for some fighters proves to be an ever elusive goal. One thing that Gonzalez did have going for him entering this fight was that he gave a good account of himself in fights against Shakur Stevenson and Emanuel Navvarrete. He had also never been stopped in his career. This would prove to be a test for a world champion in Lopez, who by all accounts seemed to be riding high after scoring a majority decision over Josh Warrington in December of last year to win the IBF world championship and then scoring an impressive knockout win of top contender Michael Conlan earlier this year. Two fights where Lopez fought both men in each’s backyard of the United Kingdom. 

In his second title defense it was interesting to see if Lopez could continue to build on his momentum. What occurred when the two fighters got into the ring could best be described as a tactical Boxing match between two fighters who could do a bit of everything with each fighter having their share of moments in many of the same rounds throughout the twelve round world championship fight. Such a scenario presents a difficult task for those scoring a fight to determine which fighter got the upper hand. 

What stood out to this observer early on was the pressure that Gonzalez put on Lopez in trying to force him back against the ropes. While a consistent pressure attack when executed right can often lead to success for the fighter applying said pressure as a fight progresses, this was a fight where even though Gonzalez was successful in applying the pressure, he had trouble maintaining the champion on the ropes due to Lopez’ ability to move, throw punches at odd angles, and be elusive. Despite having sixteen knockouts in his twenty-eight career wins prior to this fight, Lopez has never struck me as the type of fighter that can end a fight with one punch, but rather one that because of his ability to throw and land punches at varying angles, could stop opponents either by catching them with punches they do not see as they press forward or by gradually administering what would be defined as an accumulation of punishment that eventually breaks his opponents down. In some ways, Lopez’ unorthodox style reminds yours truly of another great Featherweight champion Prince Naseem Hamed, who had one of the most awkward styles I had ever seen, but one that proved to be extremely effective throughout his career. While I would argue that Hamed had more punching power than Lopez, the similarities between the two styles is hard to ignore and much like Hamed, Lopez’ style works well for him. So well that in this fight, there were periods where, despite being pressured constantly by Gonzalez, Lopez would find ways to evade, land combinations, and then try to tie Gonzalez up when he was able to get close.

As the fight progressed into the second half however, it seemed that it was Gonzalez landing the harder punches of the two, despite his face gradually becoming cut and busted up over the course of the bout as a result of punishment dished out by Lopez. Although the fight remained close in my eyes, it was the pressure as well as the hard shots Gonzalez was able to land, particularly with his right hand and also his left hook, that seemed to push him ahead slightly as the fight entered the championship rounds. Entering rounds eleven and twelve, I felt the fight could go either way and I also felt that a decision would be closely scored due again to both fighters having periods of success in the same rounds as well as nether fighter being able to score knockdowns throughout. 

Much as had been the case throughout the entire fight, the last two rounds were closely fought and it become a question of what does one prefer in how they score a fight to determine who would ultimately get the nod. Would it be the consistent pressure and hard punches of Gonzalez over the second half of the fight, or would it be the elusiveness and ability to catch Gonzalez as he came forward, as well as periodically being able to make him miss that Lopez was able to accomplish that would determine who would win the fight?

After a lifetime watching the sport and almost as long covering it, I can say in all truth and honesty that there is not much that surprises me anymore when it comes to scoring of a fight on any level of the sport because, a judge’s criteria in how they score is truly unique based on clean punching, effective aggressiveness, ring generalship, and defense. It is also worth noting that even though a decision may prove to be unanimous in favor of one fighter, each judge has their own viewpoint/criteria based on the aforementioned standard in which Boxing is scored. What I can say is that at the conclusion of twelve rounds, I felt that Joet Gonzalez had done enough to win the fight seven rounds to five or 115-113 in points. While I do stand by my scoring in feeling that Gonzalez’ pressure and harder punches were enough to eek out a decision over the second half of the fight, I also felt that, despite my view, Gonzalez probably would not get the nod from the three official judges, based on how effective Lopez was able to execute his fight plan over the first six rounds. Whether one would call it a “Gut Feeling” or the intuition of a seasoned Boxing scribe, the instinct that even though I felt Gonzalez had done enough to win the fight, but would not get the decision, proved to be accurate as all three judges scored the fight in favor of Lopez giving the champion a successful second defense of his IBF world championship. 

A point of contention that some will perhaps point to however, is that the three judges scored the fight by wide margins in favor of Lopez. 118-110, (Ten rounds to two) 117-111, (Nine rounds to three) and 116-112. (Eight rounds to four) While these scores do not reflect the close action that occurred in the ring between Lopez and Gonzalez, it does boil down to what a judge prefers in their own criteria as well as where they are positioned at ringside that can play a role in how a fight is scored. A;though I felt Gonzalez won this fight by a close margin, I do not feel that the outcome of this bout was controverisal because Lopez did have moments throughout the fight and a fighter’s ability to defend and evade punches is something that also should be taken into consideration in how a fight is ultimately scored. What I will say however, is the stock of Joet Gonzalez in the 126lb. Featherweight division has risen and even though Luis Lopez successfully retained his world championship, there will be some who might feel that it is Gonzaelz who comes out of this fight looking better than the champion. What the outcome of this fight and perhaps the perception of some fans leads to going forward for both fighters remains to be seen. 

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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Discipline Over Brawn: Wood Regains World Featherweight Championship

The rematch between Mauricio Lara and Leigh Wood for the WBA Featherweight championship of the world seemed to be a relatively straightforward process. Despite criticism for invoking his rematch clause a little over three months after losing his title via knockout to Lara where his trainer Ben Davison was also criticized for his decision to throw the towel in to prevent him from further punishment, Leigh Wood was strong in his belief that he could improve in a rematch.

After all, in their first encounter in February of this year, Wood was out Boxing Lara convincingly before he got caught by a left hook to the head that led to the stoppage in the seventh round. While that fight could best be described as a sudden ending where a fighter who was in control simply got caught, it was nevertheless questionable of Wood though commendable that he would want a rematch so soon in theory not giving himself time to recover from the knockout from both a physical as well as a psychological standpoint.

As straightforward as the manifestation of this rematch seemed in how quickly it was made, there was a speed bump on the day prior to the fight when the new champion Mauricio Lara weighed in nearly four pounds over the 126lb. Featherweight limit, which for a time cast some doubt as to whether the rematch would take place. When circumstances like this occur in the sport where a world champion comes in overweight for a scheduled title defense, they automatically lose the championship in what is often referred to as "Losing The Title On The Scale." 

Under such a scenario, the fight still proceeds as scheduled, but the world championship is only in the line for the challenger. This also creates the possibility that if the fighter who was champion is able to win the fight, the world championship would then become vacant. While Lara's failure to make weight brought about such a scenario, the possibility that the fight would not take place would prove to be short-lived as the source of the issue was likely Wood's camp wanting some compensation from Lara financially due to the now former champion failing to make weight.

Although there is no confirmation that such a compensation did occur, the rematch did nevertheless take place on May 27th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England with the WBA Featherweight world championship only being on the line for Wood. In previewing this bout, this observer stated that Wood needed to be defensively aware and responsible at all times if he wanted to be successful.

While his lack of head movement was something that stood out in the first fight, the lack of head movement was also an issue for Wood in the rematch. Despite this tactical/defensive flaw, Wood would produce one of the best performances of his career in a fight where he was considered an underdog with some even going as far as to say his career might have been on the line.

Wood did this by using his legs to move laterally to maintain distance between himself and Lara. This in addition to a consistent jab, mixing in combinations, and varying his attack from the head to the body throughout produced a dominant performance from start to finish. A highlight occured in the second round when he knocked Lara down with a short uppercut to the head. Although Wood did not use head movement in this fight, he was still defensively responsible in not only managing distance with use of lateral movement, but also putting his hands up to defend against often wide, looping hooks that Lara threw.

Whether what became a lackluster performance by Lara was due to the apparent struggle he had to make weight prior to this fight, it became clear as this rematch progressed that he only had one strategy, to try and get Wood in an exchange similar to the first fight and try to catch him with a hook that led to him taking the title from Wood in February. Unlike the first encounter however, Wood did not take the bait.

While this was not the prettiest of fights to watch, particularly if you are one that prefers to see a lot of back and forth action, Leigh Wood proved one thing in this rematch. Discipline and consistency will often always prevail over the brawn of a fighter that wants to go toe to toe. It may not be something that is appreciated by some, but a fighter should always have an approach where the objective is to do what they need to do within the rules in order to win. 

Under circumstances like this where a fight may not be the most entertaining to watch, but one where one fighter is clearly dominating the other, this observer often thinks of the words of Alton Merkerson, longtime trainer of Hall of Famer Roy Jones, who often dealt with criticism for being so dominant in his prime that often the only question was whether Jones would stop his opponent or win every round on the scorecards, often doing so by not engaging with his opponents and using his athleticism and overall Boxing skills to dominant his opposition. Merkerson in an interview when asked about the opinion of some that Jones was unwilling to go toe to toe in fights said simply "You Don't Make A Fight Hard, If It's Not Hard." To sum it up differently, you should not put yourself at risk when there is no reason to do so.

Merkerson's quote has become one of my personal favorites to describe an approach such where a fighter can dominate a fight, but do so without having to put themselves in danger. A quote from one of the most underrated trainers in the sport, but one that all trainers should instill in their fighters. Although I obviously cannot say for certain whether Leigh Wood is familiar with that philosophy, he proved it's merit in this fight as he refused to stand and trade punches with a dangerous, but one dimensional Lara and boxed his way to a wide and convincing twelve round unanimous decision to regain his world championship. 

After such a convincing victory in the rematch under circumstances where some did not expect him to win, the question now is what now for Leigh Wood. There are certainly no shortage of options that he might take including a possible third fight with Lara. For now after the seesaw way 2023 has been for him, Wood has earned the opportunity to get a little rest now as a two-time Featherweight champion of the world before deciding his next move. If however, a third fight with Mauricio Lara is in the near future, the onus will be on Lara to not only show he can make whatever weight the fight might take place at, but also that his lackluster performance in the second fight was not a sign of a one dimensional fighter that just happened to be in the right place at the right time to become world champion. Only time will tell if this is chapter two of a rivalry or if both Wood and Lara will now move in different directions going forward.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

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Has Wood Miscalculated In Invoking Immediate Rematch Against Lara?

In February of this year, one of the rising stars of the 126lb. Featherweight division, Leigh Wood entered the ring to defend his WBA Featherweight world championship against top contender Mauricio Lara in Nottingham, England. By all accounts, it was a fight that was viewed as a next step in the rise of Wood that would theoretically potentially lead to him looking to unify the Featherweight division down the line.

For a significant period of time for the champion, it appeared that he would box his way to a convincing victory over the dangerous Lara as he applied a smooth Boxing approach that not only served to out box the challenger, but more specifically build a lead on the scorecards over the first six rounds of the scheduled twelve round world championship bout. As can sometimes be the case in Boxing however, the fight would suddenly turn in the favor of Lara. Equally as sudden would be how the fight would end.

In an exchange of left hooks in the seventh round, Lara's left hook would connect and drop Wood hard on the canvas on his back. Although Wood showed a champion's heart by getting up from the knockdown, his trainer Ben Davison threw the towel in to stop the fight before it could continue making Lara the new WBA champion.

While the decision of Davison to stop the fight was seen as controversial by some, Wood did go down hard and it is understandable that he put the welfare of his fighter over the world title that Wood held. Nevertheless, three months removed from that fight in Wood's hometown, the now former champion per his exercising his immediate rematch clause, prepares to face Lara again on Saturday, May 27th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, which can be seen worldwide on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN.

The obvious question that this observer has going into this rematch is, is this rematch coming too soon for Wood? In previous eras in Boxing history, it was not uncommon for fighters at the top level of the sport to fight frequently, in some cases, once per month if not more depending on the situation. Perhaps the issue here is not so much the idea that it is too soon for Wood to get back in the ring, but more specifically, the decision to involve the rematch clause.

Rematch clauses are certainly not a new concept in the sport and are a normal part of negotiation, particularly in regard to world championship bouts. Unfortunately, the answer to the question of whether or not Wood invoking his rematch clause will ultimately be a bad decision cannot be answered without the rematch taking place.

How can Wood avenge his loss at the hands of Lara? It is important to keep in mind that Wood was ahead on the scorecards and for the most part, was having his way throughout most of the fight up to the moment where he got caught. Leigh Wood is certainly not the first fighter to have been in such a scenario and he will not be the last. There were however, subtle things that did lead to Wood being caught and subsequently stopped in the first fight. The most notable that stood out to this observer was the lack of head movement by Wood. 

Although Wood had the advantage in terms of hand speed and put it to use throughout the fight, whenever he let his hands go,  he would not move his head to try and avoid anything that Lara threw back at him. This in addition to leaving his chin up, which Lara was able to take advantage of periodically in landing some shots, particularly with his right hand before the exchange of left hooks that ended the fight occurred. While it is easier said than done, Wood must be aware at all times to be defensively responsible in this fight even if it becomes a scenario where he is having his way and is able to build a lead on the scorecards. Mauricio Lara was able to prove that indeed sometimes all a fighter needs is one punch and if Wood has the same defensive flaws, which can be hard to correct, in this rematch as he did in the first fight, the possibility of the same type of scenario as what ended fight 1 between these two fighters exists.

As for the champion in his first title defense the strategy is simple in theory, but may also be easier said than done. Lara must find a way to cut off the ring and try to limit Wood's ability to use lateral movement. While he did show one punch power the first time around, Lara needs to find a way to combat the hand speed of Wood, but must be consistent and not rely on one punch to get the job done here. It has often been said that the way to negate speed is by timing. The question here is whether the champion can use that timing, but also be busy offensively if the fight goes into the middle and late rounds in case he might be behind on the scorecards in order to win a decision if needed to retain his title.

It is logical to assume that if Wood manages to regain his championship in this rematch that a third fight between the two would not be too far in the future. Whether this is merely chapter 2 of a longer rivalry between Lara and Wood remains to be seen. For a division like the Featherweights that historically is no stranger to such rivalries that turn into trilogies and even beyond, it would not surprise yours truly to see Lara-Wood become the latest in the long list of historic rivalries in the Featherweight division.

"And That's The Boxing Truth."

Lara vs Wood 2 takes place on Saturday, May 27th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. The fight as well as it's full undercard can be seen globally on digital subscription sports streaming network DAZN beginning at 12:15PM ET/9:15AM PT with Before The Bell, which will feature preliminary bouts. The main portion of the card will follow at 2PM ET/11AM PT.

(*U.S. Times Only*) (*Card and Start times Subject to change.*)

For more information about DAZN including schedules, list of compatible streaming devices, platforms, Smart TVs, availability around the world, local start times in your area, and to subscribe please visit: www.DAZN.com. 

The Boxing Truth®️ is a registered trademark of Beau Denison All Rights Reserved.

Follow Beau Denison on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Beau_Denison 

Warrington-Lopez Thoughts

While much of the focus of the Boxing world on Saturday, December 10th was split between two of the sport’s biggest stars Terence Crawford and Teofimo Lopez headlining competing Boxing events, earlier in the day (in U.S. Time) saw the return of another star in the sport that deserves equal mention along with Crawford and Lopez as a headline attraction. This observer is referring to two-time Featherweight world champion Josh Warrington. Warrington returned to the ring for the first time since regaining the IBF Featherweight world championship by stopping Kiko Martinez in March of this year to begin his second reign as champion in a title defense against  IBF number one Featherweight contender Luis Lopez. A defense that took place in the champion’s hometown of Leeds, England at the First Direct Arena. Taking place in the immediate aftermath of England’s loss in the quarter finals to France in the FIFA World Cup, Lopez showed no negative effects from the atmosphere of fighting the champion where theoretically the advantage appeared to be in his favor.

Despite suffering a cut over his left eye as a result of an accidental clash of heads in the second round, what stood out from very early on was Lopez' ability to be elusive, but at the same time land combinations of hard punches on the champion. Although the bout was at times ugly to watch due to the grappling between the two fighters when in close, it was Lopez' ability to out work Warrington and more specifically how he was able to mix things up by executing his offense from varying angles that seemed to carry the majority of the first seven rounds, in my view.

With the appearance starting to emerge that Warrington was being out boxed in this fight, I did wonder if he would be able to make a tactical adjustment that would change the tempo of the combat in his favor. While you can never discount the possibility of a fighter being able to narrow the gap in terms of scoring by scoring knockdowns in rounds in the middle and late stages of a fight, or the ultimate come from behind scenario of scoring a knockout, something seemed a bit off for Warrington in this fight. Whether it was because of facing a fighter with a difficult style in Lopez or perhaps something unknown like an injury for example, Warrington seemed a step or two behind in this bout and seemed to have trouble finding a rhythm for much of the fight.

Although the last four rounds of this fight in particular were close in my eyes, I felt Warrington got the better of most of the exchanges during those rounds, but I did not feel what amounted to a significant rally would be enough for Warrington to retain his title due largely to the success Lopez was able to have over the course of the first seven rounds of the fight. It was based on this that I arrived at a scorecard of eight rounds to four or 116-112 in points in favor of Lopez.

The view of this bout in the eyes of this observer notwithstanding, it was not a surprise to see a close majority decision rendered at the conclusion of this twelve round world championship bout. Even though some might assume that the potential of what is referred to by some as a “Hometown Decision” may have been relevant in this case given that the bout was indeed held in Warrington's hometown and thus that could create the assumption of close scores at least in the eyes of some, I believe it was more of a case of as I have often said over the years, what a judge prefers in their own criteria in how they score bases on clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship, and defense.

Obviously, yours truly as I have also said in the past, can only speak for himself when it comes to how I view and subsequently score a fight in an unofficial capacity. It is indisputable that Josh Warrington was able to turn things in his favor in the later stages of the fight. From my perspective, he did not do enough over that period to win the fight and it really appeared to be a case where he ran out of time or to be more specific, ran out of rounds. Perhaps if this world championship bout were scheduled for fifteen rounds as was the case for world championship fights until the mid-1980’s when all world sanctioning organizations adapted the twelve round distance universally in world championship fights, Warrington may have been able to pull out a victory.

It was nevertheless a close fight on the three official scorecards with two of three official judges turning in scores of seven rounds to five in favor of Lopez making him the winner and new IBF Featherweight world champion. The obvious question at least in my eyes coming out of this fight is will there be a rematch?

One would assume that the now former champion Josh Warrington would be open to pursuing a rematch as a former champion usually does have a rematch clause in a contract prior to losing their title in the ring. While yours truly is not certain as to whether or not that is indeed the case in this circumstance for Warrington, at best a rematch should be considered an option for both the former champion as well as the new champion for sometime in 2023. Both men should take the time over the upcoming holidays to not only evaluate their respective options, but also to give them both time to heal from what was a physically grueling battle.

“And That’s The Boxing Truth.”

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