Former world champions Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington will renew their rivalry on 21 February when they meet in a rematch at Nottingham Arena. The bout comes nearly two years after their dramatic first encounter, a fight that delivered controversy, momentum swings, and one of Wood’s trademark finishing bursts.
In their 2023 clash, Warrington controlled much of the action and appeared well on his way to reclaiming the WBA featherweight title before Wood turned the tide in the seventh round. A sharp right-left combination sent the Leeds fighter to the canvas, and although he beat the count, referee Michael Alexander ruled he was unfit to continue, prompting debate that has lingered ever since.
Wood enters the rematch looking to rebound from a difficult outing earlier this year. His last appearance came in May, when he was stopped by Anthony Cacace. The Nottingham veteran will aim to reset his career in front of a home crowd and prove his late rally in the first Warrington fight was no fluke.
Watch Wood vs. Cacace highlights.
Warrington heads into February with renewed confidence after shelving retirement plans and returning with a routine victory over Asad Asif Khan in April. The former IBF champion has made it clear he wants closure after the contentious ending in their first meeting.
In the co-main event, Ishmael Davis will put his newly claimed belts on the line against English champion Bilal Fawaz.
Davis (15-3, 6 KOs) has stayed active after recovering from a training injury that previously scrapped a planned fight with Ryan Kelly. While he came up short against undefeated contender Caoimhin Agyarko in September, Davis insists his recent points win over Sam Gilley at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium marks the true beginning of his title reign rather than the end of a journey.
Fawaz (10-1-1, 3 KOs) made his intentions clear moments later, telling Davis bluntly that his reign would be short-lived. The challenger questioned Davis’ ring intelligence and referenced his past defeats, claiming his win over Bostan was proof he belongs at this level.
Fight card:
▪️Leigh Wood vs. Josh Warrington, 12 rounds, super featherweight
▪️Ishmael Davis vs. Bilal Fawaz, 12 rounds, for the BBBofC British and Commonwealth super welterweight titles
▪️Sandy Ryan vs. Karla Ramos Zamora, 10 x 2 rounds, for the vacant WBC World super lightweight title
▪️Tiah Mai Ayton vs. Catherine Tacone Ramos, 8 x 2 rounds, bantamweight
▪️David Allen vs. TBA, TBA rounds, heavyweight
▪️Junaid Bostan vs. TBA, TBA rounds, super welterweight
