Leigh Wood Vs Josh Warrington: Britons Make Weight For WBA Featherweight Title Fight

• Britons make weight for WBA featherweight title fight in Sheffield.

Josh Warrington and Leigh Wood have made weight for their WBA featherweight title fight in Sheffield on Saturday night.

Wood, 35, defends his belt against two-time world champion Warrington.

The British rivals weighed in just below the 9st limit.

“This is a fight I’ve wanted for five years. Full circle, I am defending my world title against Josh in arguably the biggest British fight around,” Wood said.

“It’s going to be a special night.”

WBA light-middleweight champion Terri Harper also made weight for her unified fight against Cecilia Braekhus.

Doncaster’s Harper was 4lb below the limit at 10st 10lbs while Braekhus was heavier at 10st 13lbs.

Harper, 26, has the chance to add the WBO title to her collection as she faces a future hall of fame addition in Braekhus.

Norwegian fighter Braekhus, 42, is a former undisputed champion at welterweight and has only lost twice in 39 bouts.

In front of a packed Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield, Wood and Warrington looked weight-drained as they approached the scales.

Challenger Warrington, 32, wore a Leeds United scarf over his mouth with the words “and the new” emblazoned on it, and whipped up his supporters as they serenaded him.

Wood (27-3) also donned the colours of his favourite football team, Nottingham Forest, as he entered. While Warrington exuded energy on the scales, Wood cut a much more calm figure.

A friendly face-off ended in a handshake.

“We live for these moments,” a pumped up Warrington said at the weigh-in.

“I’ve [won world titles] arguably against better fighters. So first time for Leigh really, taking him to somewhere he’s not been before.”

‘It’s going to be all-action’

Warrington (31-2-1) is the underdog against Wood, despite being three years his junior, after a defeat in his last fight against Luis Alberto Lopez and a 10-month lay-off.

After two gruelling encounters with Mexico’s Mauricio Lara, many feel Warrington is on the decline, but Wood dismissed that suggestion.

“People say he’s on the slide – he’s not. He’s had a poor style match-up against Lara,” he said.

“He’s still dangerous. He’s still ballsy. And this is his last shot. He needs to win this fight. He knows that.”

Nottingham’s Wood says he has been promised by Matchroom one more win will realise his dream of fighting at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.

This fight was originally pencilled in to happen at the football ground and Wood says Saturday night is the biggest bout of his career to date.

“I think it’s going to be all-action,” he said.

“I’ve been ringside for his last three fights and he’s been caught big. Thrown back straight away.

“He’s got a big heart, he’s gutsy, ballsy. His mentality is a bit like me.”