Maxboxing 2022 Fight of the Year - Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan

A day before they met in the ring, Michael Conlan, the decorated amateur, had told Leigh Wood, the world defending champion, that he was going to, “Fu## him up.”

Conlan wasn’t kidding.

The fight looked over in the opening stanza after Conlan landed an overhand left from his hometown of Belfast. The blow caused Wood, who never saw the punch coming, to collapse on his back. He somehow got up, clear-eyed but unsteady.

The punch had weakened his legs, but not his heart. Wood,33, was the everyman who had earned everything in his boxing career the hard way.

Conlan would find success with his long left all night – while Wood would find a way to take it and keep coming.

The battering continued in round two. Wood staggered but remained upright. He was being outgunned and outclassed, but his eyes were clear.

Conlan was boxing beautifully. Wood couldn’t duck fast enough, but he still moved forward, eating punches while applying steady pressure. He tried to work the body but was tattooed by combinations. 

Wood did better in round five, but Conlan was still in control. Wood raised his hand after the round. Had he won the heat? No matter, the Nottingham tough guy was starting to believe. 

He upped the ante in round seven, forcing Conlan into a firefight. He scored, but Conlan punctuated the stanza with another left. 

Conlan buzzed Wood with counter shots in rounds eight and nine. Wood walked after him, but another left shook him up. Conlan did even better in round 10, but Wood refused to give in, forcing Conlan into the ropes.

In his corner before round 11, Conlan looked winded. Wood started well, but as expected, Conlan fought back. Out of nowhere, Wood connected with a left hook that floored Conlan.

The minute rest did little for Conlan. Wood attacked him immediately in the 12th and final round. Conlan ducked and weaved, but a wicked right hand caught him on the temple – causing Conlan to lose consciousness and fall through the ropes.  

Wood had landed the perfect punch to end the fight brutally. 

Happily, Conlan was OK. Hours after being knocked out, he asked for a rematch.

Of course, he does.

Wood’s face showed the beating he had taken.

But that was the only way he could win.

Fighters are different beings.

Their guts are deeper.

They dig and dig.

2022 Maxboxing Fight of the Year - Leigh Wood vs. Michael Conlan