As if there wasn’t enough drama already heading into the re-match of Mauricio Lara vs. Leigh Wood. With the two boxers having met in February this year and Lara winning that fight by stoppage in round seven, this was to be a re-match of epic proportions. Mauricio Lara was putting his WBA World Featherweight Title on the line and heading to Leigh Wood’s backyard to fight in front of a packed out crowd at the AO Arena in Manchester.
That is, until Lara was unable to make weight this week. In odd circumstances, the governing body determined in a pre-weight check that Lara would not be safe to make championship weight. As a result, when he weighed in more than three pounds over the limit, the Mexican was stripped of his WBA belt.
Word is that the fight will still continue however, with Wood able to claim the now vacant belt if he wins. Regardless of the drama, this is still an excellent match up between two bitter rivals and we bring all the best bets to make with odds from bookmaker William Hill.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: May 26th, 11:45 P.M. (GMT)
Considering that Mauricio Lara won their fight earlier this year, it’s no surprise that the Mexican is well ahead in the outright betting odds. Lara is paying 1.36 for a win in this clash compared to Wood’s 3.00 for a victory.
In terms of method of victory, the lowest odds are for a Lara win by way of knockout at 1.50. Well off the pace, but still the next best option, is a Wood decision at 5.00 followed by a Wood knockout at 8.00. Lara winning on decision is considered unlikely, sitting at a high 9.00.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: May 26th, 11:45 P.M. (GMT)
How much the weigh-in controversy will play into this fight is unknown. Will Lara be distracted and potentially demotivated knowing that he’s no longer boxing to defend his WBA belt? Or will the frustration of this motivate the boxer even more to come out and deal with Wood for a second time?
We say that a bet on the favourite Lara is still a strong wager here. Expect the Mexican to come out confident off the back of his previous win over Wood. While the Brit is sure to have improved, Lara still has far too much power for Wood to safely last 12 rounds. Instead, expect a relatively similar result, with Lara absorbing some attacks from Wood before putting him on the canvas in the mid to late rounds of the fight.
