LEIGH WOOD insists he does not care who he faces next as long as it is at Nottingham Forestโs City Ground after Eddie Hearn described the Josh Warrington rematch as the biggest fight out there for him.
Wood completed a sensational smash-and-grab victory over Warrington at the Sheffield Arena on Saturday night when he stopped the Leeds Warrior in the seventh round while trailing on all three cards.
However the conclusion came in controversial circumstances as Warrington believed referee Michael Alexander waved it off too early, without giving him the adequate time to prove his recovery.
Now the attention has turned to what might be next for Wood, who has been promised a 2024 fight at the home of his beloved Nottingham Forest.
The 35-year-old says he will definitely be moving up to super-featherweight, which has opened the door to an all-British clash with Joe Cordina. Names like Emanuel Navarrete have also been mentioned for the outdoor clash but Wood is adamant he does not mind who is in the opposite corner.
โI think Iโve got a number of options,โ Wood said. โEddie said it was a great fight but am I ever in a dull fight, ever? Iโm not.
โOn that basis weโve got the pick of the litter. I could give Josh another shot, Iโm open to that but it wouldnโt be at featherweight, I canโt make it safely anymore. There are other people at the weight above too. Iโve got a lot of options so we will see what happens.
โThe question of who isnโt really the problem – itโs where and when. We want to do the City Ground.
โThatโs my best win, Josh is a three-time world champion with massive scalps on his record. Iโm the only Brit to beat him. Heโs a great fighter and definitely my best scalp. If we do it again we do it again, if not Iโd like a new challenge.โ
Hearn, who sat to Woodโs right as he spoke, admitted that the rematch with Warrington might be the only one big enough to fill the stadium, especially given the controversy surrounding the stoppage.
Hearn said: โWe said to Leigh Wood that the City Ground would be next if he was to be victorious. I feel like it should have happened sooner. Itโs a big place and I think there are big fights out there. Iโm sure Josh feels like he should get another shot but it wouldnโt be at 126lbs.
โWhen youโve got two sets of fans – from Leeds and Nottingham – and they saw a thrilling fight then thatโs an option. There is also Joe Cordina but would he want to go to someoneโs backyard when heโsย the champion? If the deal was right quite possibly.
โBut the focus now is to make sure the next fight, whoever it is against, is at the City Ground. When youโve got two huge sets of fans itโs possible. As weโve seen with Josh, when youโve got stadium fights you donโt just make Josh against someone, you make it against Lee Selby for the world title or Mauricio Lara in a big rematch.
โIt will take a big fight for Leigh Wood at the City Ground so we will see what the demand is and what everybody thinks. I want to watch the fight back. I think if Josh has turned round then they would have 100 per cent let the fight carry on. If the ref did call it off at eight, I think it was too early because he should have given him the opportunity to turn around.
โBut the ref said to me he wouldnโt turn round so if you wouldnโt turn round then I canโt let it continue. But we know the numbers on DAZN were fantastic and the crowd were fantastic – so why not.
โIf you look at frontrunners for the size of fights at the City Ground I think the rematch is probably the biggest one.โ
Warrington, meanwhile, felt โhard done byโ after the stoppage and confirmed he is happy to move up to super-featherweight to secure the rematch.
He said: โThis was probably my last fight at feather, I can still make it comfortably but Iโve been here a long time. My better performances in sparring and stuff have come when Iโve been a bit heavier so I would be looking to step up even if I was victorious against Leigh.
โI feel a bit hard done by tonight – it was the end of the round, I get to my feet, thereโs a smile on my face, I turned round at eight and the next minute itโs waved off.
โI was cruising the fight, ahead on the scorecards but switched off for a split second. Itโs boxing. I turned round at eight – I thought I would be at least given the opportunity to sit down. I know the referee is there for my own safety but Iโm deep into my career. Iโve never really been hurt and this is my seventh world title fight. I should have been given the opportunity to carry on. Maybe I got up too quickly but my senses were with me.โ