Wood vs Lara Betting Odds Preview: The Boogeyman Comes for His Crown
Can Lara Finally Win The Elusive Title?

Lara Enters Bout as a Favored Challenger
Mauricio “Bronco” Lara returns to the United Kingdom to face yet another top-notch British champion in WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood. As the Wood vs Lara betting odds allude, the challenger should walk away with another victory on enemy territory. But Wood will not back down and will meet this “boogeyman of the division” head-on. Both fans and bettors can expect a thrilling contest that may not last six rounds (per the total).
🥊 Wood vs Mauricio Lara 🥊
Fighters: Leigh Wood (C) (26-2-0, 16 KOs) vs Mauricio Lara (25-2-1, 18 KOs)
Date, time (TV):
Location: Nottingham Arena, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Title: WBA World Featherweight (126 lbs)
Wood is a Fighting Champion
Even as a champion, Wood fights with a chip on his shoulder. The Briton won the title as an underdog against Xu Can in what was one of the best performances by a featherweight in 2021. And in his first defense last year, he stopped Michael Conlan in what was another riveting showing. He was also an underdog and heading to this bout, the boxing odds persist on his betting status.
“I get reminded of that fight 10 times a day,” Wood told BBC East Midlands Today in reference to his victory over Conlan, which outlets like Ring Magazine judged as both the Fight of the Year and the Knockout of the Year. “Even now, I’m tagged in a video of that knockout every single day. I’m ready for another knockout now because I’m sick of seeing it.”
The 34-year-old is riding on a momentum that has seen him shoot up the rankings. He went from a ho-hum British prospect who squashed local competition to a world-class boxer in the span of three years. Losing to James “Jazza” Dickens in 2020 may have just made him a better boxer. Now, he voluntarily faces his toughest opponent, Lara, to cement his legacy among the sport’s best.
For Wood, this is more than just a boxing match. This is personal as he’s taken offense to some of the trash talk coming out of Lara’s camp.
“He said that I faked my injury,” Wood said. “He is going to say stuff, but it’s that people read it and believe it that annoys me.”
It is likely gamesmanship on Lara’s part. But Wood does not care. The fighting champion goes into the match looking for a smashing victory. The Wood vs Lara betting odds don’t support him, but that may be to his advantage. Wood goes out “Rocky” style win or lose.
Is Lara the Uncrowned Champion of the Division?
It’s crazy to think that Josh Warrington, the man Lara knocked out, won, and lost a belt before Lara even got a title shot. But better late than never as they say. Now, the young Mexican is on pace to capture his first major title per the Wood vs Lara betting odds. Like his opponent, Lara has been on a warpath. He’s knocked out almost every one of his opponents since suffering his first and only KO loss in 2018.
Although known as Bronco, Lara is more of the boogeyman. Many top boxing fighters allegedly avoid fighting him hence why he’s settled with smashing overmatched opponents. As much as he and his camp throw barbs at Wood for pulling out last year, they owe it to the champ who courageously hand-picked him as his challenger.
Like Wood, Lara fights with his heart. He is a fighter more than a boxer though that does not impress the champion, who had some harsh assessments of his fighting style.
“He seems like quite a reckless character, I don’t think there’s a thought process that goes into his boxing,” Wood said in an exclusive interview with DAZN. “I’m not really focused on that, I’m not thinking about what frame of mind he is in. I know how he fights so I’ve got to go out there and exploit it and capitalize on what I’m good at.”
Whether they mean it or whether it’s just smack talk, everyone can expect Wood and Lara to bring the action this Saturday. In a packed weekend for boxing, this one could prove to be the most entertaining.
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