Leigh Wood savoured the continuation of his “Cinderella story” as he signed off from the featherweight division by retaining his world title with a dramatic stoppage of Josh Warrington.

Wood revealed his battle with the scales had been as tough as the fight for the WBA crown in Sheffield, where Warrington’s bullish flurries put him up on the scorecards ahead of the second half of the bout.

Nursing a cut and swelling by his right eye, Wood remained composed and flipped the script at the end of the seventh with a savage right hook and a burst of punches that left Warrington flat on his back.

Referee Michael Alexander halted the contest despite Warrington’s howls of protestation as Wood celebrated his 28th win from 31 fights, adding another chapter to his late career resurgence.

It was not too long ago Wood was fighting down the card on small hall shows, while a points defeat against Jazza Dickens in February 2020 left him short of options at the wrong side of 30.

But a year later he was the British champion and, within 18 months of his loss to Dickens, Wood claimed a world title as he reaped the rewards of linking up with Ben Davison, Tyson Fury’s former trainer.

The 35-year-old said: “It’s some turnaround, kind of a Cinderella story. My team has changed me as a fighter. I know I wouldn’t have won the world title without them.

“I probably wouldn’t have won the British title without them. The time I had before that completely changed me as a fighter, changed my perception on boxing and how I view it and how I operate.”

Wood is no stranger to adversity after following up his upset win over Can Xu to become world champion with a stunning final-round stoppage of Michael Conlan last year when behind on the judges’ scorecards.

He was brutally stopped by Mauricio Lara in February but went straight back into the lion’s den for a rematch three months later and regained his world title, while his latest win brings plenty of options.

A fight at the City Ground, the home of his beloved Nottingham Forest, is the priority, but it will not be another defence of his title as boiling his 5ft 7in frame to nine stone has become too difficult.

He said: “This was a great fight, but am I ever in a dull fight? I’m not, so on that basis I think I’ve got the pick of the litter.

“I could give Josh another shot, I’d be open to that, but it wouldn’t be at featherweight, I can’t make it safely any more. Who isn’t really the bigger problem, it’s more where – the City Ground – and when.”

Wood was coy when asked whether a City Ground fight would be his last, adding: “I’m 35, I sacrificed lot to get here.

“There’s going to be a massive void in my life after boxing so we’ll see. We’ll do the City Ground, but the only other thing I can think of (after that) is a Las Vegas fight.”

Warrington came into this showdown having lost his IBF title last December but, in a cauldron-like atmosphere, the Leeds fighter controlled proceedings before the momentum was switched in an instant.

After his third defeat in 35 fights, Warrington, who insisted the stoppage was premature, intends to carry on and suggested he will also move up to super-featherweight and pursue a rematch against Wood.

He said: “I’m devastated. I was cruising the fight, up on the scorecards and I switched off for a split second. Maybe I got up too quickly, but my senses were all with me, I heard the bell go.

“I thought would have been at least given an opportunity to sit down (at the end of the round). I dominated most of those rounds. I just know I’ve still got plenty in the tank.

“This was probably my last fight at featherweight, I still make it comfortable but it’s been a long time and my better performances in sparring have come when I’ve been a bit heavier.”

Leigh Wood toasted the “best win” of his career after retaining his WBA featherweight title by battling back from a sustained beating to stop British rival Josh Warrington.

At a frenzied Sheffield Arena, Warrington was well on the way to becoming a three-time champion at the weight as his relentless bursts of aggression and occasional roughhouse tactics left Wood reeling.

But Wood kept his composure in a cauldron-like atmosphere and seized his moment in emphatic fashion as he followed up a stiff right hook with pinpoint combination punching that put Warrington on his back.

Warrington rose gamely but unsteadily returned to his corner and as he did not turn round, referee Michael Alexander waved off the contest at the end of the seventh round to the Leeds fighter’s chagrin.

“It wasn’t my best performance,” Wood said. “I did feel a bit groggy making the weight but no excuses.

“That’s my best win, Josh is a two-time world champion, he has massive scalps on his record and I’m the only Brit to be beat him.

“He’s a great fighter – definitely my best scalp. If we do it again then we do it again and if not, we’ll have a new challenge. We’ll see.”

Less than two years on from stopping Michael Conlan in the last round when trailing on the cards in a high-profile bout, Wood insisted he can never be discounted after racking up a 28th win from 31 fights.

“I don’t know what it is about me – I haven’t got any quit in me,” he said. “It’s never say die.

“It’s the same as my career – I didn’t make the best start, I turned it around and got there, it was the same as the Conlan fight.

“Write me off all you want, I’m just going to be there to the end and if I can do anything to win, I’ll do it.”

A fight at the City Ground, home of his beloved Nottingham Forest, could be next for Wood, who could move up to super-featherweight after admitting boiling down to 126lb was becoming increasingly tough.

While three years younger than his conqueror, Warrington’s future is less certain after slumping to his third defeat in 35 bouts, including back-to-back losses in world title fights in just under a year.

He immediately protested Alexander’s decision to call a halt to proceedings after belatedly turning round before slumping his head on the referee’s shoulder as he accepted there was no way back.

Warrington said afterwards: “I just feel a bit hard done by, it was the end of round, get to my feet, look at my dad with a smile on my face, turn round at (the count of) eight and it’s being waved off.”

This fight took place on neutral territory – halfway between Wood’s home city of Nottingham and Warrington’s Leeds – but any return bout will be on the champion’s patch.

With Wood insistent a fight at the City Ground is next, promoter Eddie Hearn suggested a rematch against Warrington is a highly tempting option.

“It’s going to take a big fight for Leigh Wood at the City Ground,” Hearn said. “I want to see the fight back.

“If Josh would have turned round, they would have 100 per cent let the fight carry on. If the ref did call it off at eight, it was too early because he should have given him the opportunity to turn around.

“The ref said to me ‘he wouldn’t turn round and if he doesn’t turn round I can’t let him continue’.

“When you look at frontrunners for sizes of fights at the City Ground, I think the rematch is probably the biggest one.”

Leigh Wood retained his world featherweight title after weathering a ferocious onslaught from Josh Warrington to stop his British rival in a pulsating showdown at the Utilita Arena Sheffield.

In the first defence of his second reign as WBA champion, Wood absorbed some punishing blows over several rounds and remained upright despite being clearly troubled by Warrington’s relentless flurries.

Wood, though, kept his composure amid a cacophony of noise and unloaded with precise combination punching, finishing with a right to the temple and then a left when Warrington was on the way down.

Warrington, seeking to become a three-time champion at 126lbs, rose gamely but was on wobbly legs, prompting referee Michael Alexander to wave off the contest right at the end of the seventh round.

Warrington protested the decision before slumping his head on the referee’s shoulder in grim defeat as Wood celebrated his latest comeback victory to improve his record to 28 wins and three defeats.

A fight at the City Ground, home of his beloved Nottingham Forest, could be next for Wood, who could move up to super-featherweight after admitting boiling down to 126lbs was becoming increasingly tough.

While three years younger than his conqueror, Warrington’s future is less certain after slumping to his third defeat in 35 bouts, including back-to-back losses world title fights in just under a year.

Leigh Wood recognises how dangerous Josh Warrington is as the underdog ahead of their all-British world featherweight title showdown in Sheffield on Saturday.

Warrington’s signature wins against Lee Selby and Carl Frampton five years ago upset the odds and the Leeds fighter heads into this weekend with his opponent favoured by bookmakers.

Wood believes how he fares in the first defence of his second reign as WBA champion could determine how his own career pans out.

Victory over Warrington, who is targeting a bout in Las Vegas if he prevails, would move Wood a step closer to a long-held ambition of fighting at his beloved City Ground, home of Nottingham Forest.

“This is his last chance to get back into title contention,” Wood told the PA news agency.

“He wants his American dream – he knows he’s got to win this fight and that’s what makes him so dangerous.

“I’ve been up for this for a number of years, it’s one that’s going to cement my name, not just as the best featherweight in Britain but one of the best featherweights in the world.

“It’s taken a long time to get here. It’s not been an overnight thing, I’ve had to work my a*** off. It’s been a long hard journey and this is my graduation, you could say.”

The pair scaled just under the 126lb limit at Friday’s weigh-in before engaging in a good-natured staredown, with Warrington a ball of energy as he whipped up the small crowd.

Both fighters wore the scarves of their favourite football team. Warrington pulled up a Leeds scarf over his mouth while Wood had the red and white of Nottingham Forest over his shoulders.

A brief but intense stare-off gave way to smiles as the pair shook hands before gesturing to the crowd, with Warrington screaming ‘and the new’ as Wood cut a more relaxed figure.

For Wood, who could step up to super-featherweight after this bout due to the demands of getting down to featherweight, facing Warrington has been a long time in the making.

Five years ago, Wood (27-3, 16KOs) by his own admission was struggling to make a name for himself and after being egged on by a friend, he directed a tweet at Warrington more in hope than expectation.

“I was in no man’s land, nobody outside my own village knew who I was,” Wood added. “I wasn’t getting any fights, I was 30 years old, I was at rock bottom and needed to do something quick.

“I was sat in a restaurant with my friend and he just asked why didn’t I call someone out? It wasn’t really my thing but Josh Warrington was the best in the division at the time.

“I went on Twitter and did this video and it got about three likes or something. No-one even saw it. Five years later, we’ve come full circle.”

Warrington (31-2-1, 8KOs) jumps straight back into world title contention after dropping his IBF crown in December last year following a narrow points loss to Luis Alberto Lopez.

“We are ready for absolutely anything,” he told PA. “We’ve gone over and over all the different things that he can do. We have looked at all the different scenarios that we can bring and are ready for each and every one of them.”

Josh Warrington believes his costly slip-up set in motion a chain of events that led to Leigh Wood becoming world champion ahead of their all-British showdown this weekend.

Warrington vacated his IBF featherweight crown in January 2021 to pursue a fight with WBA titlist Xu Can but the following month a tune-up went horribly awry as he was brutally stopped by Mauricio Lara.

As Warrington licked his wounds, Wood stepped up to dethrone Xu while earlier this year the Nottingham fighter avenged his own knockout defeat to Lara by outpointing the Mexican to regain his WBA title.

In the interim, Warrington won back and lost the IBF belt but he can now become a three-time world champion at 126lbs against an opponent he believes has enjoyed success as a result of his setback.

“Credit to Leigh, he’s taken the opportunities that have been put in front of him,” Warrington (31-2-1, 8KOs) told the PA news agency.

“His drive has got him into this position but that position has come through me, technically – he got the opportunity to fight Can Xu because I lost against Lara. His fights with Lara are what’s made his stock rise, Lara became big because of me.

“I’ve been involved in all this and unfortunately for Leigh Wood, I’m going to squash it as well.”

Warrington has previously admitted he was too embarrassed to leave his house in the weeks after the Lara defeat and the Yorkshireman endured a few sleepless nights when he dropped his world title in December last year following a razor-thin majority points loss to Luis Alberto Lopez.

However, neither retirement nor a tick-over fight were options for Warrington, who still harbours ambitions of a Las Vegas bout if he is able to defeat Wood at Utilita Arena in Sheffield on Saturday.

“I didn’t want to be dropping down from world level, I didn’t get stopped, it was a close decision, there were one or two rounds in it and I thought I won,” the 32-year-old added of his loss to Lopez.

“(In the weeks after that) it was probably more on a night time in my head when I was trying to sleep – coulda, woulda, shoulda.

“But you can’t cry over spilled milk, you can only learn from it and the best way to get round it is by putting the gloves back on, getting back in the ring and doing the business.

“I only want to be in big fights. I don’t need warm-up fights or comeback fights.

“I know in my heart of hearts I can become a three-time world champion and still be at the top. You know as a man, a boxer and a person when you’re done. No one else can ever tell you, you know inside.”