Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington 2: josh warrington beaten in Nottingham
Leigh Wood cruised past josh warrington to win their rematch in Nottingham, earning unanimous scores of 119-109, 119-110 and 117-111 in a fight described as lacking action. The result closes the book on a long-running rivalry between two former world champions.
Scorecards, decision and action
Wood eased to a points victory in front of a home crowd, taking the three judges' cards 119-109, 119-110 and 117-111. The rematch followed their 2023 meeting, when Wood stopped the Leeds Warrior; more than two years after that stoppage Wood again had the upper hand. Observers noted the main event did not provide the fireworks expected and that the fight lacked action.
Josh Warrington's post-fight reaction
Warrington admitted frustration after the verdict and refused to make a snap retirement decision. He said: "There was just something off tonight. I can’t keep on coming out here, people spending their hard-earned money, and I’m not giving f***ing absolutely everything. " He added that he had wanted it badly and had worked immensely but could not do any more. Wood reflected on the night with: "Very sweet, I’ve worked hard for this, sacrificed a lot. What a night. Josh is a great fighter. We’ll have a talk after, and a drink as well. " The official result was recorded as: Leigh Wood def. Josh Warrington unanimous decision (119-109, 119-110, 117-111).
Pre-fight build, odds and timing
The rematch was part of a busy fight night scheduled across the Atlantic. The Nottingham show at the Motorpoint Arena was listed for Saturday, February 21 with a start time of 7pm and a main-event ring walk from 10. 30pm. A separate card at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on the same date listed a start time of 11pm GMT with a main-event ring walk from 4. 50am. In the build-up bookmakers had suggested backing the fight not to go the distance, with a 3-point betting angle pencilled in for an early finish. Pundits noted Wood, aged 37, is in the twilight of his career and had lasted only nine rounds in his most recent contest against Anthony Cacace, having fought only once since beating Warrington in 2023. Warrington, 35, arrived with a record showing three defeats in his last four fights.
Undercard winners and title changes
The undercard delivered notable results. Sandy Ryan became a two-weight world champion by beating Karla Ramos Zamora to claim the WBC light-welterweight belt. Bilal Fawaz upset Ishmael Davis to win the British and Commonwealth light-middleweight belt. Ringside coverage included contributions from Bobbie Jackson, Keifer MacDonald and Kal Sajad, with Kal Sajad providing a ringside report as the card concluded.
Context, other fights and wider notes
Commentary on the night included wider boxing discussion: Eddie Hearn described a "battle" with Dana White and called Conor Benn's exit a "dagger in the heart. " On another card, Ryan Garcia was set to attempt to take Mario Barrios' WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas; Barrios had previously failed to beat a 47-year-old Manny Pacquiao and was said to have been fortunate to walk away with a draw. Observers in build-up pieces noted Wood's career has encompassed British, Commonwealth, European and a WBA world featherweight title and that both men are former world champions. Writing ahead of the rematch had highlighted that Warrington's defeats in recent years came to Leigh Wood, Luis Alberto Lopez and Anthony Cacace, and that his last ring appearance before this night had been a win over Asad Asif Khan ten months earlier in a low-key bout.
Alongside the event, a documentary examining bare-knuckle boxing was noted, with the number of licensed bare-knuckle events rising from 21 bouts in 2015 to more than 1, 000 across 21 countries in 2025. In separate interview material, Claressa Shields — preparing to defend her undisputed heavyweight status against Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit — said: "If Mikaela and Lauren want to prove their greatness - and I'm willing to give them that chance - then it's 163lb and 165lb. I don't have to prove anything. " Shields added: "I don't know why these girls think I have to go down two or three weight classes when Terence Crawford went up three weight classes to fight Canelo [Alvarez]. "
The rematch night in Nottingham allows both men to reflect on their next steps. There was speculation that either fighter could retire after the final bell, but Wood refrained and Warrington insisted he would not make any rash decisions.
