Leo Santa Cruz ‘accepts mandatory fight’ against Leigh Wood for WBA (Super) featherweight title
The WBA deny Leo Santa Cruz's request to fight WBC champion Rey Vargas and order him to face British fighter Leigh Wood next.
The 33-year-old Mexican has now "accepted the mandatory fight" against Nottingham's Wood for the WBA (Super) featherweight title.
Leo Santa Cruz’s team contacted the WBA Championships Committee and indicated that he will accept the mandatory fight against Leigh Wood
— WBA Boxing (@WBABoxing) July 20, 2022
More information coming soon.
The 33-year-old has made two successful defences, with the last coming in February 2019 against Rafael Rivera.
'El Terremoto' then stepped up to super featherweight. After besting Miguel Flores for the vacant WBA (Super) world super featherweight title, he was beaten by Gervonta Davis towards the end of 2020.
Leigh Wood's KO of Michael Conlan#boxing pic.twitter.com/AkhkZdspMW
— BoxingVibe (@boxingvibe) March 12, 2022
Speaking to IFL's Kugan Cassius, Wood reiterated that he wants to battle Santa Cruz next:
"It is history. It's not going to change, I've already beaten [Conlan]. Money is irrelevant. Everybody needs it and hopefully after boxing, I've made enough to have the freedom to come and go as I please, and set my kids up, Which I'm on my way to doing as well.