Event : Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan
Date: Saturday 12 March
Venue: Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Fight time: Ring walks for the main event are expected around 10.15pm UK time
TV: DAZN, with subscriptions from £7.99 a month
As Michael Conlan and Leigh Wood weighed in for their world title fight, the tension rose ، In front of a loud audience at the Albert Hall Conference Centre on Friday, both men touched the scales inside the 126-pound featherweight limit.
Conlan weighed 125.6 pounds, while Wood weighed barely two ounces over, ensuring a WBA world featherweight title fight at the Motorpoint Arena.
Wood is a seasoned featherweight who is anticipated to bring more power into Saturday’s bout, while the Belfast challenger has worked his way up from bantamweight and super-bantamweight to currently contest at 126lbs.
And Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn feels that by the time both combatants enter the ring on Saturday night, there might be a substantial size differential.
“On the surface, it seemed that Leigh Wood battled harder at the 126-pound limit. That’s something I’d expect,” Hearn added.
“Michael Conlan used to be a bantamweight, but he’s now a super-bantamweight. And believe me when I say that Leigh Wood is going to be a huge man in the ring tomorrow night, far bigger than Michael Conlan.
“Also, keep in mind that Michael Conlan isn’t a full-fledged featherweight. He had a brawl there the previous time he was there. He’s becoming a lot bigger, and Leigh Wood is going to be a beast in there tomorrow night.”
Conlan, who wore Irish-themed sunglasses and was wrapped in a tricolor, placed his finger to his lips to hush a fanatical home crowd, while Wood wore a Nottingham Forest scarf into the arena.
Both guys received loud applause, and Conlan and the champion exchanged words during a heated stare-down following the weigh-in.
“There’s a lot of burden on Leigh’s shoulders,” Hearn continued. This is his first time fighting in this environment, and he will either step up his game or get apprehensive.
“With everything Michael has done, from the Olympics to the Top Rank deal and Madison Square garden, this is what he should be doing.
Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan odds
Leigh Wood record, bio
- Nationality: British
- Born: Aug. 1, 1988
- Height: 5-7
- Reach: 67 inches
- Total fights: 27
- Record: 25-2 with 15 wins via knockout
Michael Conlan record, bio
- Nationality: Irish
- Born: Nov. 19, 1991
- Height: 5-8
- Reach: 69 inches
- Total fights: 16
- Record: 16-0 with eight wins via knockout
Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan fight card
- Leigh Wood (c) vs. Michael Conlan for the WBA featherweight title
- Terri Harper vs. Yamila Belen Abellaneda; Lightweights
- Caoimhin Agyarko vs. Juan Carlos Rubio; Middleweights
- Gary Cully vs. Miguel Vazquez; Lightweights
- Sandy Ryan vs. Erica Farias; Super lightweights
- Thomas Whittaker-Hart vs. Simon Krebs; Light heavyweights
- Thomas Carty vs. Michael Boloz; Heavyweights
- Nico Leivars vs. Jose Hernandez; Lightweights
