By Barry Holbrook: Leigh Wood has reportedly confirmed that his fight with former WBA featherweight champion Mauricio Lara will take place on Saturday night.
However, there is still no certainty that the fight will take place tomorrow night. Wood’s coach, Ben Davison, has repeatedly stated that “conditions are met” tomorrow for Leigh’s safety to hold the competition.
Although Davison did not say the terms, he repeatedly mentioned the word “security,” which can only mean one thing – a hydration limit. On Saturday, we could see a weight check for Mauricio Lara, such as recently for Ryan Garcia and Gervonta Davis. Ryan had to withhold fluids and food to comply with the hydration clause.
Depending on how late Saturday is for Lara’s weight check, it could be drained zombie when he enters the ring with 34-year-old Wood, perhaps his only chance to beat the younger, stronger, faster fighter.
Lara’s possible rehydration limit
Davison didn’t say the terms, but it could be secondary weighing on Saturday morning with the maximum weight limit Lara can enter.
In this case, Lara has to stop drinking and eating for the night in order not to overweight. Depending on how late Saturday’s weight check is, Lara may be exhausted enough by the time Wood wins the fight.
Earlier this week on Wednesday, the British Boxing Commission was not happy with the checkweight for Lara. They then said that it must not weigh less than 128.5 pounds when weighed in.
What does it mean Lara effectively lost the title last Wednesday not today, which is crazy, but he fights in Britain by different rules. Had this fight taken place in the US or anywhere else in the world, Lara would probably have been allowed to make weight.
We have confirmation from @itsLeighWood that tomorrow’s fight will take place.
The world title is still on the line for Wood, but not for Lara. https://t.co/4JjZ6DTKK4
— BBC Nottingham Sport (@BBCRNS) May 26, 2023
Ben Davison talks about Lara’s weight
“By the time we found out what Lara would be starring in, Leigh had already reached the championship weight,” said Ben Davison. iFL TV. “Of course we are not happy with the situation in which this is happening.
“We talked to the team and the team talked and they talked to Matchroom. I can’t go into details but conditions have been established to make sure we are happy and for the health and safety of our rider.
“We have reached an agreement that we are happy with. I think this story that the Council didn’t let Lara make the weight is a false narrative because we’re not even close to the weight the Council lets him do.
“The fact that he (Lara) had come down to himself and could only go down to this (129 3/4 lb.). You can look at how much he weighs as an advantage, or he came down to it and could only get to it. He’s so fucked up. This is also a disadvantage.
“For us, there are conditions that need to be met for us to be happy, and these conditions have been agreed so that we ensure, as I say, the safety of Leigh Wood.
“The fact that he didn’t even come close to the weight the Council set for him to weigh in suggests he wouldn’t even come close to championship weight. As I said, these conditions must be met. If these conditions are not met, as I have said, health and safety and a fair whip is paramount.
“Right now, those conditions are met and if it stays that way, the fight will go on. It is difficult to dissuade a fighter from a fight. This can be a very difficult conversation.
“As I said, it is very important that these conditions are met. There are a lot of things that will make us happy that the fight will happen,” Davison said.
