So, what fight fans have expected for quite some time, finally materialised overnight as Leo Santa Cruz relinquished the WBA Super featherweight championship meaning that Nottingham fighter, ‘Leighthal’ Leigh Wood is the divisions, sole, world champion.
The decision by Cruz, 38-2-1(19) means that Wood, 26-2(16) is the WBAs only world champion now, and attention, for both the organization, and the fighter, will turn to next year and just who, his next opponent may be.
It is expected to be Mauricio Lara, 25-2-1(18) after promoter, Eddie Hearn, stated recently that would be the case and is being pencilled in for Nottingham’s world famous, City Ground, with late January and early February being mooted, another potential opponent being that of vastly experienced campaigner, Kiko Martinez, 44-11-2(31).
Elsewhere, over the last weekend, Nottingham’s Russian born Armenian welterweight, David Avanesyan, now 29-4-1(17) (under Carl Greaves/Neil Marsh), made the trip to Omaha, Nebraska, USA to oppose home-town favourite, Terence Crawford, now 39-0(30) for the WBO welterweight strap.
Crawford would be the one who’d emerge victorious with a devastating, KO6 stoppage, following a left uppercut – right hook combination which saw him rack up his tenth, stoppage success; Avanesyan and his team will no doubt regroup over the festive season, and look to return stronger in the New Year although they have made an official complaint to the Nebraska Athletic Committee after Crawford was allowed to continue in the fight with a pair of defective boxing gloves.
It was a disappointing end to the year for Scott Calow Promotions, they having postponed their show, scheduled for this past weekend, a few weeks – a good decision in hindsight (to a point anyway) as it would have clashed with the England – France World Cup quarter-final in Qatar.
Among the fighters scheduled to be on that show was Joe Underwood Hughes, 8-1(1), who’s had a mixed 2022, he said: “I’m gutted to not be fighting, but I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported me in my career this year, especially those travelling to various places throughout the UK.
“In all honesty a year I’m looking forward to end, with nothing but disappointments but it’s one that I’ve learnt a lot in, not only in the boxing ring but more so out of it.
“Despite all that I’m grateful to my manager and trainer, Scott Calow he’s been by my side for every minute of it and without him I’d of struggled to make it through, not forgetting Forefront S&C, another vital part of my team that’s gone above and beyond for me, and has never let me down whenever I’ve needed anything from him.”
Also at the weekend, Newark’s Jade Grierson (Dean Sugden) made her professional debut on the Stefy Bull Promotions show at the Magna Centre, Rotherham, claiming a TKO3 against Ester Konecna – a stoppage win that only Savannah Marshall had only previously inflicted on the Czech fighter
Then there’s next year, and some early announcements concerning that of Declan Cairns, 6-1(1) and Nicola Hopewell, 2-0(1), who will both be appearing at the Magna Centre, on the GBM Sports show, 10 February, on what is a English lightweight title fight undercard as Reece Mould opposes Hamed Ghaz over ten rounds.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @boxingscene David Avanesyan (right) was beaten by Terrance Crawford in Nebraska.
