Max Boxing – News – Leigh Wood gets off the deck to stop Michael Conlan in dramatic fashion

Leigh Wooden vs Michael Conlan motion (Mark Robinson/Matchroom)

Not all elite amateurs make prime professionals. Some merely discover the longer rounds and slower-paced type are to not their liking. Michael Conlan was a standout within the unpaid code. He received European and World golds for Eire and solely the good Cuban Robeisy Ramirez (in 2012) and a vastly controversial quarter-final resolution 4 years later prevented him enhancing upon Olympic bronze. Quick, intelligent and busy, Mick seemed a particular expertise within the vest.

Conlan entered tonight’s WBA featherweight title problem to Leigh Wooden at 16-0 (8) however whereas he has by no means seemed at risk of defeat, the Irishman had but to emulate his novice prowess since turning over. Wooden, 25-2 (15) coming in and preventing at Nottingham Area in his house metropolis, couldn’t boast something like Conlan’s gold medals however had fought the higher opposition, extra constantly, as a paid boxer, and was having fun with the perfect interval of a troublesome profession. Stopping the favoured Can Xu for the belt in July meant he was in high quality kind and will declare the perfect win on both of their information. The result of this Matchroom/DAZN foremost occasion would show, a technique or one other, if Conlan may very well be anyplace nears pretty much as good a professional as he was an novice. A showdown that will have appeared a take a look at for Conlan two years in the past now appeared a 50-50 combat, and the duel between the revered respective trainers, Adam Sales space (Conlan) and Ben Davison, was an intriguing sub-plot.

Because it turned out a vastly dramatic and engrossing combat got here to a fittingly explosive finish within the closing spherical, as Leigh Wooden, seemingly far behind on the scorecards having been outboxed for lengthy intervals and dropped early, bagged an unlikely final-round stoppage victory.

Buoyed by a rabid crowd, Wooden started brightly on the entrance foot and was edging the opener earlier than, within the closing seconds, Conlan, beforehand fleet of foot and content material to dart across the perimeter, dropped the champion closely from the southpaw stance with a straight left. Leigh rose too rapidly however the bell rang. He was damage once more early within the second, Conlan, regardless of being minimize across the left eye from a head-clash, pouring it on, Wooden holding judiciously to clear his head and got here again in direction of the top. Conlan took spherical three additionally, his quicker arms bringing blood from Wooden’s nostril and fast toes forcing the Nottingham man to overreach.

Wooden lastly put a spherical within the financial institution within the fourth, chopping the area down and unloading in mixtures. Conlan got here again nicely within the subsequent, touchdown the telling photographs and Wooden was minimize now, once more by heads, and across the left eye too. Wooden crowded his rival extra in spherical six which led to extra exchanges, Conlan quicker, Leigh busier. Conlan sensibly targeted on the physique and held pretty typically.

Within the seventh, they traded extra, Wooden discovering success however leaving himself weak to sharp counters. The champ loved his finest session up to now within the subsequent, outlanding Conlan in exchanges and leaving his challenger trudging wearily to the stool. Wooden didn’t capitalise, nonetheless, permitting Conlan to win the ninth totally on the southpaw jab and selecting him off with single blows.

The ten^th was Wooden’s as he rebounded from being stung to the physique early to land a clear proper hand then surged ahead throwing every part on the Irishman. He did even higher in spherical 11, getting back from delivery a number of clear left arms to deck Conlan with a tough proper hook within the dying embers. Livid Conlan claimed a slip however Wooden pumped his fist in triumph. Wooden drove ahead within the closing spherical, pinned Conlan in opposition to the ropes and landed a barrage of exhausting photographs topped off by a brief proper hand. Conlan froze, his arms dropped and, helpless sitting on the underside strand, he was knocked by way of the ropes to the ground. Referee Steve Grey waved the competition off as Conlan was attended to and the rival factions within the crowd clashed. Wooden admirably referred to as for calm.

It was reported quickly after that, regardless of leaving the sector on a stretcher, Conlan was acutely aware and responsive backstage. We want him a speedy and full restoration.