Josh Warrington vs Leigh Wood Preview Feb. 21St, 2026
Former IBF Featherweight Champion Josh Warrington of Leeds takes on former WBA Featherweight Beltholder Leigh Wood of Nottingham in an all-English rematch this Saturday, February 21st. The pair first met in 2023 with Wood scoring a seventh-round TKO while trailing on all three judges’ scorecards. Warrington lost his next fight as well when he dropped a unanimous decision to Anthony Cacace in a shot at the IBO Super Featherweight Belt for his third straight defeat. Before being halted by Wood, he had lost his title to Luis Alberto Lopez by majority decision 11 months earlier. After his win against Warrington, Wood was stopped by Anthony Cacace in the ninth round last May in a shot at the IBO Super Featherweight title. Warrington last fought in April and beat Asad Asif Khan by a 10-round unanimous decision. This weekend’s contest takes place in Wood’s hometown and the 12-rounder can be seen live in most nations on DAZN.
Warrington vs Wood Betting Odds
Here are the betting odds from online sportsbook BetOnline.ag (full review here).
- Josh Warrington +140
- Leigh Wood -170
My Pick
The 35-year-old Warrington enters the contest with a record of 32-4-1 with 8 Ko’s. The eight stoppages may mean he doesn’t appear to be blessed with too much power but two of his last three wins have come by way of TKO. However on the flip side, he’s won just two of his last seven fights with four losses and a draw and just 25 per cent of his overall wins have come by stoppage. Warrington first won the IBF Featherweight Title when he beat Lee Selby by split decision in May, 2018 and then defended it against Carl Frampton by unanimous decision in December and against Kid Galahad by split decision in June, 2019.
He then stopped Sofiane Takoucht in the second round but gave up the belt as he didn’t want to face Galahad again in a mandatory defence. He faced Mauricio Lara in his next two fights and was stopped in the ninth round in February, 2021 for his first loss as a pro. He faced Lara in a rematch seven months later but the bout was declared a no-decision in the second round when Lara suffered a cut over his left eye from an accidental headbutt. Warrington regained the title in March, 2022 when he halted Kiko Martinez in the seventh round but lost it nine months later to Luis Alberto Lopez via majority decision.
Warrington stands 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 67-inch and has boxed 290 rounds since making his pro debut in 2009 following his amateur career. He’s also captured several regional and minor titles since turning pro including the English, British, Commonwealth, European and WBC International Featherweight Titles. He’s fought all of his bouts in his homeland with his most recognizable foes being Cacace, Wood, Lopez, Lara, Martinez, Galahad, Frampton, Selby, Patrick Hyland, Rendall Munroe, Martin Lindsay, Hisashi Amagasa and Dennis Ceylan.
Wood is older at the age of 37 and makes the ring walk with a record of 28-4 with 17 Ko’s. He made his pro debut in 2011 after a good amateur career and has boxed 179 rounds since. He won the WBA ‘regular’ World Featherweight Title in 2021 by stopping Can Xu in the 12th round and defended it in 2022’s Fight of the Year by halting Michael Conlan in the 12th round as well. He then took on the WBA ‘Super’ Champion Mauricio Lara and was stopped in the seventh round but he beat Lara by unanimous decision in the rematch after Lara was stripped of the title for being overweight.
Wood then gave up the WBA belt after beating Warrington in 2023. Along the way, he has also captured the British, British Midlands, Commonwealth Boxing Council, and WBO European Featherweight Titles. His first loss was a sixth-round TKO at the hands of Gavin McDonnell in 2015 for the vacant British Super Bantamweight Title and his second defeat came at the hands of James Dickens for the WBO European Featherweight Title in February, 2020 via a 10-round majority decision.
His third defeat was a seventh-round TKO to Mauricio Lara in February, 2023 and he was stopped by Cacace in the ninth round in his last fight in May. Wood’s biggest wins have been over Warrington, Lara in their rematch, Conlan and Xu. Wood carries decent power as 60.7 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage including eight of his last nine. He also measures 5-feet-7-inches tall with a 67-inch wingspan, the same as Warrington. Wood also has victories over Reece Mould, David Oliver Joyce, Ryan Doyle, Gavin McDonnell and Isaasc Owusu.
Prediction…
Wood has been stopped three times in his pro career and Warrington twice and they’re both under five years away from their 40th birthdays. Wood didn’t really look that good against Warrington in their first meeting. He was losing on the scorecards but ended up stopping him. That was in October, 2023 and he didn’t fight again until May, 2025. Once again he wasn’t at his best as Anthony Cacace stopped him. Neither boxer has been in top form lately but this should still be an exciting domestic clash. It’s a tossup really but Wood could win by stoppage or decision whereas I don’t think Warrington really has the power to halt Wood and needs a points victory. Based on his edge in power, I’m giving Wood a slight edge here.
Wood’s power may prevail again.
Play Wood -170 @ BetOnline.ag
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Josh Warrington betting • Leigh Wood betting