It appears Mauricio Lara is attempting to lure WBA featherweight champion, Leigh Wood, into a rescheduled bout.

The pair were originally supposed to fight in September earlier this year, but Wood was forced to pull out due to suffering a pulled bicep.

A new date has not yet been set and it seems Lara is trying to trash-talk Wood back into the ring, as he goes in pursuit of securing his first ever world title shot.

“We know that this English fighter [Leigh Wood] is a chicken…” Lara told Izquierdo.com

“England is like a second home to me. We know that English fighters run away from Mexicans.”

This comes after Lara recorded the best win of his career over another English fighter in Josh Warrington, back in 2021, despite ‘The Leed’s Warrior’ being a huge favourite going into the bout.

Lara, a relative unknown at the time, had Warrington down in the fourth round, but he managed to hold on until he was stopped in round nine.

In the rematch, the fight was called to a halt in the second round due to a cut over Lara’s left eye caused by an accidental headbutt.

The confidence and recognition Lara gained in the first fight with Warrington has now led the Mexican to believe that English fighters are easy pickings.

Wood, however, will be hoping to prove him wrong should they arrange a new date to clash in the ring, as he will look to defend his WBA featherweight strap.

The man from Nottingham is in the best form of his career currently, as he stopped Can Xu in 2021 to win his world title despite being the underdog.

Wood then followed up with a potential fight of the year knockout victory over Ireland’s Michael Conlan earlier this year, as he sent him out of the ring in the twelfth round.

So, even if Lara goes into this fight as a favourite, the Englishman will be anything but an easy touch, as Wood responded to his potential future opponent’s comments, saying: “The only person running will be him onto my right hand.”


https://talksport.com/sport/boxing/1...cheduled-bout/