Mauricio Lara Misses Weight Badly For Wood Rematch
The highly anticipated Mauricio Lara vs. Leigh Wood rematch for Lara’s WBA featherweight title was sent into chaos Friday afternoon in Manchester, England. This as Lara weighed nearly four pounds more than the featherweight limit of 126 lb.
Lara stripped down completely at the official weigh-in and still clocked in at 129.8 lb. This came just moments after Wood made the prescribed weight at 125.9 lbs.
For a short time, there was belief that Wood’s camp, including trainer Ben Davison would push to call the fight off with Lara weighing so significantly heavier than their fighter at the weigh in. In particular, Davison told DAZN on their live weigh in show that the first time that they knew of the champ being that significantly heavy was right as he got on the scale.
“Realistically, it shouldn’t be happening (the fight), should it? It’s a disgrace to be honest… We heard about his weight while Leigh is on weight…. He’s (Lara) a dangerous fighter, anyway. I know he’s really struggled to get to where he’s got to (129.6 lbs.)…. Leigh’s whole thing is to become a two time world champ. That’s his whole motivation.”
Obviously, if Wood had elected to not “cut weight” and get down to the 126 lb. limit himself, he would have been ineligible to regain the WBA world title that he lost to Lara on a TKO back in February.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn tried to shed more light on this situation and made clear that the British Boxing Board of Control has been aware of the Mexican champ’s weight problem with a weight check on Wednesday.
Here was Hearn about that revelation with DAZN later on Friday afternoon in Manchester,
“For the British Boxing Board of Control check, they weren’t comfortable with the weight where he was on Wednesday,” Hearn told the show. “And made the decision, we don’t want you to cut the weight dangerously.”
The BBBoC told Lara and his team that out of caution for him to drain too much, he could weigh no less than 128.5 lb. Friday afternoon at the weigh-in for the fight to proceed. He was 1.4 lb. over that amount. So, for now, things will proceed.
Lara was to have defended the title against Wood, but now, the WBA will no doubt strip him of the belt. But, another point is that it could all be moot if Wood goes ahead and defeats him anyway Saturday night at the AO Arena in Manchester.
