WBA featherweight champion Leigh Wood (26-2, 16 KOs) scored a spectacular, come-from-behind twelfth round KO over Olympic star Michael Conlan (16-1, 8 KOs) on Saturday night at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England.
Conlan scored a heavy knockdown at the end of round one and Wood was saved by the bell. Conlan continued to punish Wood in round two and outboxed him until late in the fight. Wood was credited with a knockdown in round eleven, but Conlan still appeared headed to a decision win. In round twelve, Wood finally caught up with Conlan and blasted him through the ropes and out of the ring to emphatically end it. Time was 1:25.
Wood was way behind midway in the fight, but he had whittled Conlan’s lead down to 104-103, 105-102, 104-103 on the official cards entering the final round.
Conlan was taken out on a stretcher and rushed by ambulance to the hospital.
Hope Conlan is OK.
Very strange final KO. The leading camera angle didn’t even look like a big shot landed but his body just went limp. Hope he is well
It was the accumulation of punches. If you notice, about 10-20 seconds before that, his legs gave out and then he just collapsed. It wasn’t one punch in particular.
Pray for Conlan!
No doubt. That was an incredible fight. Both fighters went through it.
Leigh Wood won me over as the fight went on as i really didnt have a pick going into it. But wow that was a finish.
My heart is still pounding.
Same. I was standing in my
Living room for the last three rounds.
Pray, this is serious
I hope for the best for Conlan.
Yes Russ..it must be serious as they gave no updates. normally they would I waited until the end of the broadcast.
Let’s hope Michael Conlan is okay. I’ve seen some fights in my time but, that one’s hard to beat for the display of sheer guts and determination from both men. Unbelievable.
I’ve been watching boxing since the 70’s: That was the most sudden and shocking ending I’ve ever seen. The most important thing is Conlan’s recovery, but man oh man, I’d love to see those two mix it up again!
What an INCREDIBLE fight!! I thought Woods was gone after the first round knock down which caught him flush and yet he kept his composure and made it a fight in spots although I felt Conlan was ahead. The knockdown was not a slip and I felt that this is when the tide turned! Hope Conlan is ok and has a speedy recovery! As for Wood, damn he made so many tactical mistakes by standing in front of Conlan and by never circling to his left away from the looping left! Wow! Wow! Wow! Great fight!! Wound rather see him fight Leo Santa Cruz next!!!!
Waooo I can’t believe conlan lost he is a great fighter
That’s the worst kind of ko.. the accumulation. Prayers for Conlan. Props to Wood .. he was behind and wouldn’t capitulate. He tko’d Can late in his last fight as well.
I think underestimate wood and he ain’t prepare 100%
That’s the problem when you are cocky
What a great comeback to a great fight. Bravo to both warriors and prayers for Conlan…
Glad Wood won. I always thought Conlan recieved a lot more hype than fighters who are much better than him.
Conlan nailed Wood all night and Wood was in serious trouble after the first knock down. I think he recovered and decided to try and just out slug Conlan. Conlan was winning the rounds but losing the war. Although there was a lot of punches, by both men, it’s pretty clear from other angles that it was ONE single straight right hand that k.o.’d Conlan.
Tremendous victory. FOTY and excellent comeback from Wood.
hope conlan is oks its not about boxing now lets hope hes good to see his family
A great fight and one of the most stunning come from behind stoppages since Mike Weaver’s last round left hook against John Tate.
After such a fine performance it was particularly hard to watch Conlan stopped in such a manner. Hopefully his condition will improve and he’ll be able to fully recover.
One of the best fights I’ve seen, I did say Wood in 2 but he did it in 12!
Jeez, I never even saw a punch. His knees wilted and then he fell through the ropes. Uppercut? The camera angle yielded nothing. Shit, falling backwards from the ring? Not good. Kudos to both guys.
Straight right hand, completely out before going through the ropes. Conlan was extremely arrogant and disrespectful in the build up to this fight, as he has been in previous fights. That is the danger with being such a tasteless braggart, when you finally get beat people are going to secretly celebrate it, even if you go to the hospital. If Leigh Wood had lost and been taken to the hospital, Conlan have just celebrated and not shown any respect at all.
They didnt even want to show conlan on ground or even Replay footage…Jesus the british are Soft…remember when Rachman fell Thru the ropes against Maskaev,they showed everything…this is boxing?..the World has become so soft..pathetic and Sad…
Thanks Guys.
Wow, Wood called it before the fight and then went
out and delivered. These 2 will definitely rematch.
This defeat is going to haunt Conlan a few fights in my opinion..
Wood was the one on shaky legs throughout the entire fight but that 20-second barrage of punches had Conlan out on his feet. A spectacular comeback in the later rounds that culminated in that KO. I didn’t see an actual punch that caused the KO but Conlan did go limp and slid through the ropes.
Great victory by Wood. He looked slow and was vulnerable to the left hand but he never gave up and finally broke through in the last round. Conlan looked like the better fighter through most of the fight but persistence won through in the end. Hope Conlan is OK.
The way Wood went down and banged the back of his head in the first round! I didn’t think he would recover, let alone win the fight. Short right to the chin did it.