Leigh Wood Cruises Past Josh Warrington in Rematch at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena
Leigh Wood cruised to a unanimous decision over josh warrington in a rematch that failed to ignite the expected fireworks, but closed a long-running rivalry in front of a sell-out Nottingham crowd. The result matters because both men have hinted their careers could be at a crossroads, and the night produced notable title changes and wider boxing conversation.
Josh Warrington: the rematch and the scorecards
Wood comfortably outpointed his British rival across 12 rounds at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham to secure a second victory in the rivalry. One account of the judges’ cards recorded scores of 119-109, 119-110 and 117-111 for Wood; another account listed 119-109, 119-109 and 117-111. Observers described the fight as lacking action, with Wood dictating tempo and a frustrated, flat-footed Warrington struggling to get his shots away.
How the fight played out
Wood dominated much of the 12 rounds, settling into a southpaw rhythm, slowing the pace and picking shots from range. He landed almost double the number of punches as Warrington in what was described as a comfortable control display. The rematch lacked the decisive moment that ended their first meeting in 2023, when Wood stopped Warrington with a punch in the seventh round in Sheffield.
Career implications for both fighters
Warrington, 35, suggested he will not rush any decision but hinted he may hang up the gloves after a fifth loss in 38 bouts. He also referenced his family, saying he has three children at home and questioned how much more he can give to a sport that can be unforgiving. The 35-year-old was identified as a two-time featherweight world champion and a stalwart of British boxing.
Wood, 37, is also a former featherweight world champion and improved to 29 wins with four defeats. He acknowledged this could be his last fight and reflected on the personal sacrifices involved, noting how hard it is to be away from his children. Wood pointed to the unique atmosphere of the night and suggested there may not be many opponents that produce such a setting again.
Atmosphere, entrances and key rounds
The rivalry has only deepened since their first fight and the charged atmosphere reflected that. The Motorpoint Arena was a sell-out 8, 000-capacity venue. Warrington walked out to the Leeds United anthem "Marching On Together" followed by a Kaiser Chiefs song; Wood entered to Nottingham Forest’s "Mull of Kintyre" wearing sunglasses as the home crowd serenaded him with chants of "Leigh Wood is one of our own. "
The opening rounds were scrappy: Wood edged a rugged first round, Warrington landed a sharp right hook and straight right in the second, Wood landed a crisp combination in the fifth, and Warrington later drew blood from Wood’s nose with a single right.
Broader night: new champions and developments
The card also delivered significant results elsewhere. 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. Names that featured across the coverage included Bobbie Jackson, Keifer MacDonald and ringside reporter Kal Sajad, who contributed a ringside report as the live coverage concluded.
Industry voices were active too: promoter Eddie Hearn described a dispute with Dana White as a battle and said Conor Benn’s exit from a scheduled event was "a dagger in the heart. " A documentary on bare-knuckle boxing was also highlighted during the broadcast, and the format’s growth was noted — licensed events reportedly climbed from 21 bouts in 2015 to more than 1, 000 across 21 countries in 2025.
Voices, memories and what’s next
Wood reiterated that Warrington had been stopped the first time and challenged his rival’s assessment of that contest, branding Warrington as very delusional and suggesting Warrington had not watched the earlier fight round by round. Wood also said he could not see this rematch going the distance when previewing the fight. Both fighters left open the possibility of retirement, making the result a potential closing chapter in a rivalry that produced a dramatic stoppage in 2023 and a quieter, controlling rematch in Nottingham.
Side stories to follow
Outside the main event, attention turned to an interview held earlier in the week with undisputed heavyweight champion Claressa Shields, who is preparing to defend her undisputed heavyweight status against Franchon Crews-Dezurn in Detroit. Shields discussed possible matchups with unified welterweight champion Lauren Price and Mikaela Mayer — who also holds a unified title at light-middleweight — and mentioned fighting at 163lb or 165lb if required, referencing other fighters who have changed weight significantly for major fights. Coverage wrapped with thanks to readers as live text concluded.
