Leigh Wood’s dream shot at WBA Regular featherweight champion Xu Can has been officially confirmed for Matchroom’s Fight Camp promotion in Brentwood, Essex, on July 31.
As previously reported on Boxing Social, Nottingham’s Wood receives an unexpected opportunity to gatecrash the 126lbs elite against high octane puncher Xu.
Inactive since November 2019, China’s Xu (18-2, 3 KOs) had long been linked to a unification with then-IBF champion Josh Warrington that never materialised.
“I have been idled nearly 20 months without a fight,” said Xu. “In the past five months in Miami, my coach Pedro Diaz has worked me very hard. This is by far the best preparation for my title fights. I feel that I am in an excellent status, physically and mentally. In the next three weeks, my goal is to focus on the training and preparation. Leigh Wood is a tough opponent to face and he also has the privileges to fight at home. I must devote 200% of efforts to keep my title. I can’t wait to see how I turn out on July 31.”
Wood (24-2, 14 KOs) won the vacant British featherweight title in February by halting Doncaster’s Reece Mould in the ninth round.
“Opportunities like this don’t always come around, I won’t need another,” said Wood. “I’m going to be world champion. He’s very good volume puncher, if you let him fight his fight, you’re in for a hard night. I know what I have to do, and I will be exchanging on my terms.”