Leigh Wood, Josh Warrington Targeting Oct 7 Date In Sheffield
- A Deal Is Being Finalised For Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington To Take Place Next
- Wood-Warrington Is Being Targeted For October 7 At The Sheffield Arena
- The Highly-Anticipated Domestic Featherweight Clash Will Stream Live On DAZN
WBA Featherweight champion, Leigh Wood and British rival Josh Warrington are targeting an October 7 date for their domestic showdown, a source has told NoSmokeSport.
The clash between Britain’s #1 and #2 Featherweights is planned to take place at Sheffield‘s 12,500-capacity Utilita Arena, live on DAZN.
Wood regained his title with a dominant 12-round decision win over Mexican dangerman Mauricio Lara in May and immediately called out Warrington for a City Ground bout.
Pitch concerns have ruled out Nottingham Forest’s City Ground stadium for Wood-Warrington much to the dismay of lifelong Forest fan Wood.
And with limited availability at Britain’s largest arena, the AO Arena in Manchester, Sheffield has become the destination for a much-anticipated all-British clash.
Will Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington Be For The WBA Title?
The belt situation is unclear as it stands although efforts are being made to secure the WBA Featherweight title for Wood vs Warrington.
Uzbekistan’s Otabek Kholmatov is the mandatory challenger for Wood’s title and insisted to NoSmokeSport in an interview earlier in the week that his next fight would be for the world title whether that is against Wood or not.
The WBA has set a Sep 26 deadline for Wood-Kholmatov, the Uzbek’s trainer Timur Ibragimov revealed exclusively to this outlet.
If Wood-Warrington does not have the WBA title on the line or if the belt is vacated in the aftermath of the contest, Kholmatov will face Matchroom-promoted American, Raymond Ford for the vacant championship.
Ford, a slick New Jersey southpaw, dominated former champ Jessie Magdaleno in April – a fight which many dubbed a ’50-50′ going in.