The underdog label has been attached to Leigh Wood for so long that he can faintly recall the last time was expected to win a fight.
“It’s certainly been a long time ago,” Wood quipped to BoxingScene,com. “I have to admit, I kind of like it. I don’t obsess over it really. But I do enjoy proving people wrong at the same time.”
The same task awaits the 34-year-old Brit, who risks his WBA featherweight title versus streaking contender Mauricio Lara (25-2-1, 18KOs). Wood is currently listed at +200 according to bet365, while the visiting Lara is a healthy -275 favorite despite the title fight taking place at Nottingham Arena in Wood’s hometown of Nottingham, England (Saturday, DAZN, 2:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. GMT).
It’s a role to which Wood (26-2, 16KOs) has grown accustomed. A ninth-round knockout of unbeaten Reece Mould in February 2021 marked the last time the oddsmakers expected Wood to win the fight. He has played the role of underdog in each of his last three starts, despite all three taking place in England and each of the last two—including this weekend—specifically landing in Wood’s hometown.
China’s Can Xu was a -350 favorite according to BetMGM to successfully defend his WBA ‘Regular’ featherweight title in their July 2021 clash in Brentwood, Essex.
Wood prevailed via twelfth-round stoppage to win the belt, which he defended in a come-from-behind knockout of unbeaten challenger Michael Conlan in their instant classic last March 12 in Nottingham. Belfast’s Conlan entered the ring as a -180 favorite and led on all three scorecards before Wood—listed at +140 prior to the opening bell—rallied to floor Conlan late in round eleven before ending the fight with 95 seconds to go in their 2022 Fight of the Year.
Lara long ago lost the benefit of sneaking up on bettors.
The red-hot contender was an unknown 22-year-old at the time of his February 2021 clash with then-unbeaten former IBF featherweight titlist Josh Warrington, for which he was a massive +1150 underdog who overcame the odds and a regional disadvantage to score a ninth-round stoppage. Lara was also the underdog ahead of their September 2021 rematch in Warrington’s hometown of Leeds, which ended in a technical draw after two rounds due to a clash of heads which left Lara cut and deemed by the ringside physician as unable to continue.
Two knockout wins have followed for Lara, who is unbeaten in his last fifteen starts. Conlan was 16-0 at the time of his epic clash with Wood, while Xu entered their secondary title fight riding a fifteen-fight win streak.
At some point, Wood expects to shed the underdog role. In the meantime, he remains bothered by the label.
“I’m already going out there to win,” noted Wood. “It’s nice to see people have to take back things, like in the Xu fight that he was going to use my head as a speed bag. It’s funny looking back and proving people wrong.
“At the same time, it’s fun to prove people right when they back me. There will be plenty of that in the crowd, with my fans cheering me on. That will always mean more than what the oddsmakers think of my chances.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
