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Nick Parkinson
Nottingham, England – Lee Wooden scored a surprising win to cease Michael Conlan by a ruthless Twelfth-round knockout and retain his “common” WBA featherweight title on Saturday in entrance of his hometown crowd at Nottingham Area.
Within the second battle in a row, Wooden snatched the victory within the last spherical, however the dramatic end was overshadowed by the speedy curiosity in Conlan, who fell backwards via the ropes and was knocked out of the ring.
Conlan was handled by ringside paramedics, and was quickly taken to a close-by hospital, the place he was aware and in secure situation, based on match room promoter Eddie Hearn. Hearn stated Conlan was ready for a CT scan.
Conlan tweeted in a while Saturday that he was fantastic.
I am all the most effective guys, greetings for messages. I will be again, good shot and congrats to me and his group.
– Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) March 13, 2023
Positively need a rematch lol
– Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) March 13, 2023
For Wooden (26-2, 16 KOs), 33, it was one other dramatic late win after he offered a shock cease for Chinese language Xu Can within the last spherical final yr in his first world title battle. Wooden dominated early on, together with a fall within the first spherical, however recovered to Conlan’s flooring late within the eleventh and resumed his assault within the Twelfth minute, knocking Conlan via the ropes in 1 minute 25 seconds amid a hail of punches.
“I hit him with every thing, however he is very sturdy,” Wooden stated. “I am simply fascinated by Mick now. It was a foul knockout.”
Hearn echoed Wooden’s concern about Conlan, saying, “We must always have fun probably the greatest knockouts I’ve ever seen, however our ideas are with Michael now.”
Conlan (16-1, 8 KOs), 30, of Belfast, Northern Eire, had managed loads of the battle and got here near taking the title within the opening spherical. Wooden did many of the stress at first however was then caught by Conlan’s cleverly disguised left hand late within the spherical, leaving him flat on his again for the rely.
It was a fantastic shot from Conlan, who bought Wooden in bother once more early within the second spherical as he saved discovering Wooden together with his left hook. Wooden appeared dazed for many of the second spherical, being caught with clear left hooks as Conlan sealed his energy over the battle.
Conlan, the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, began third with care, earlier than hopping on Wooden together with his proper hand within the last minute of the spherical. However the battle turned within the fourth spherical as Wooden fought again, attacking with waves of punches.
Wooden confirmed loads of aggressiveness in rounds 5 and 6, however the cleanest, sharpest hits got here from the Challenger. On the sixth, Conlan pinned Wooden with a folded proper hook within the chin that the champ had higher ignored.
Wooden confirmed loads of coronary heart in eighth, when he put Conlan below essentially the most stress he is had as much as that time within the battle. The wooden was full of fireside within the tenth spherical, which gave Conlan a tough time because the Irish sat on the ropes.
Wooden was marked on the eleventh day, however he discovered energy and braveness below stress to strike a left hook that despatched Conlan to the board. Conlan complained that it was a slip, however he was nonetheless calculating on the finish of the eleventh, and it pushed Wooden to make a surprising turnaround within the last spherical once more.
At first of the twelfth day, Wooden launched a fierce and relentless assault, leaving Conlan afloat earlier than the Irishman collapsed via the ropes, falling backwards outdoors the ring.
