'Leeds Warrior' Josh Warrington fails to exact revenge in Leigh Wood rematch - and leaves fans wondering
Josh Warrington went the distance with Leigh Wood but failed to exact revenge in a super-featherweight grudge match - and left fans wondering whether or not his career is over.
The pair locked horns in October 2023 and Wood secured victory via TKO in the seventh round.
With their rivalry having simmered ever since, the pair were reunited at the Motorpoint Arena in Wood’s hometown of Nottingham.
There was considerably less drama this time around, as Wood enjoyed control over the bulk of the 12 rounds. When the scorecards were read out, few were surprised to learn ‘Leigh-thal’ had been awarded victory by all three judges.
Post-fight, Warrington stopped short of making a decision on whether or not to end his career but did hint retirement could be on the cards.
“There was just something off tonight,” he said.“I can’t keep on coming out here, people spending their hard-earned money, and I’m not giving f***ing absolutely everything.
“I wanted it so badly, I’ve worked immensely, I couldn’t do any more.”
In the chief support slot, Leeds’ Ishmael Davis lost his British and Commonwealth super-welterweight belts to Bilal Fawaz in his first defence. The fight went the distance and the challenger became the champion via majority decision.
There was also an outing for Doncaster’s affable heavyweight Dave Allen, who returned to winning ways in style with a first-round TKO obliteration of Karim Berredjem.
Allen followed in the footsteps of York heavyweight prodigy Leo Atang, who disposed of Bradford’s Dan Garber within just 60 seconds.
Leigh Wood v Josh Warrington
Both men were booed and cheered in equal measure as they made their way to the ring, with the cauldron of hostility seen in 2023 well and truly replicated for the super-featherweight grudge match.
The crowd bayed for blood from the get-go and both looked to assume control early doors. It was cagey in the opening round, but Wood managed more joy as Warrington struggled to get the home fighter in his sights.
Hands started to fly in the second and Warrington roused the travelling fans with an explosive flurry. Wood, however, prevented momentum being gathered and had the ‘Leeds Warrior’ off-balance with a counter swing.
Warrington connected with a neat shot in the closing stages of the round, with the entertainment level picking up inside a noisy Motorpoint Arena.
He enjoyed some explosive moments in the third and fourth rounds, although Wood was shrewd in the way he sucked wind from behind Warrington’s sails and bit back. The fourth ended with a sharp left-handed upper-cut from Wood, although Warrington’s chin held up.
Each side of the arena could sense vulnerability in both fighters and the pair continued to walk on to shots. Wood’s nose was bloodied but Warrington continued to take his fair share of punishment.
The latter’s speed picked up throughout the fifth and sixth but Wood rarely looked flustered. He kept Warrington at distance when he needed to and allowed his rival to do most of the moving.
Warrington continued to duck and weave his way around the ring yet the seventh round - the round in which their first meeting was decided - ended with just one shot of real significance from the Yorkshireman.
The pair’s respective defences held up throughout the eighth, with jabs struggling to find their way through and clinches breaking up the trading of blows.
Wood’s grip on the bout did not loosen throughout the ninth and as the 10th approached, it was apparent the ‘Leeds Warrior’ needed to find another gear.
The late rally required of Warrington did not materialise, as Wood continued to act as the ring steward and control the distances.
There was a time Warrington was famed for his intensity, for his ability to dig deep and produce magic, but there was none to be plucked from his depleted tank in the dying embers.
The final rounds were somewhat anticlimactic, as Wood remained in control to make sure of a unanimous decision win on home turf.
The scores read 119-109, 119-110 and 117-111, with each awarded in favour of ‘Leigh-thal’.
There was respect shown following the final bell, with tensions having seemingly been cooled by the pair’s second war.
Ishmael Davis v Bilal Fawaz
With the British and Commonwealth titles on the line, the tension was palpable in the early stages of the super-weltwerweight bout.
The pair operated at close quarters in the first round but momentum proved difficult to gather.
Fawaz started to hold court in the second, while Davis tried in vain to explode out of the corners.
The latter showed glimpses of his power as the fight reached round three, but only managed bursts of aggression rather than sustained attacks.
The pace of the tight battle picked up in round four, when Davis managed to drive Fawaz into the ropes and let his hands go. Fawaz managed to send a flurry into the midriff in response before offences relented as the round approached a close.
In trademark fashion, Fawaz continued to navigate the ring with his unorthodox swagger. Davis remained unfazed, resisting temptation to be drawn into showing his hand.
Davis continued to show defensive grit as the fight ticked into the sixth round, asborbing more blows than he would have liked but managing to release some shots of his own.
After a brief-but-furious exchange of hits early in the seventh, normal service resumed. Fawaz looked to reel Davis in, seemingly intent on draining the powerful Yorkshireman’s tank.
The challenger’s frustration bled through during the eighth round, as his hands continue to work at breakneck speed only for Davis to hold strong. However, as the bout rolled into the ninth, the need for some Davis to mount offence was clear.
Fawaz tightened his grip in the ninth, with Davis continuing to find it difficult to get on the front foot.
As the tide continued to turn in Fawaz’s favour, those in the crowd from Leeds sought to rally the ‘Black Panther’. However, the 10th round came to a close with Davis again on the back foot.
Davis went from the hunted to the hunter in round 11, only for a tangle of legs to halt his momentum. Fawaz slowed the tempo as the clock ticked towards the final round, perhaps sensing he had built a lead on the scorecards.
Fawaz managed the final round with impressive ring IQ, keeping Davis at arm’s length and wearing him down bursts of aggression when the defending champion stepped on the gas.
The scorecards reflected an impressive showing from Fawaz, who claimed the belts via majority decision as two judges went in his favour and one decided on a draw.
Dave Allen v Karim Berredjem
The ‘Doncaster De La Hoya’ needed a win under his belt after coming up short against Arslanbek Makhmudov in October and wasted little time getting one.
He went straight on the offensive, sending Berredjem crashing to the canvas almost immediately. The Frenchman returned to his feet but not for long, as Allen started winding up haymakers again.
A furious flurry sent Berredjem back to the ground and the towel came flying in to put a stop to the onslaught, giving Allen a first-round TKO win.
Leo Atang v Dan Garber
An all-Yorkshire heavyweight affair kicked off the main card, as York prodigy Atang faced off against Bradford veteran Garber.
The bout was Atang’s first six-rounder and 40-year-old Garber was presented as a slightly bigger fish for the 19-year-old to fry.
Atang was still the strong favourite but few expected Garber to succumb as quickly as he did. The underdog found himself under heavy fire and lost via TKO just a minute into the opening round.
He had been pushed into the corner by an incredibly relaxed Atang, who unleashed a furious barrage that prompted the referee to step in.
Atang is now 5-0 and looking more than ready for some sterner tests in the heavyweight division.