Editor’s note: This is the second of four year-end awards. Fight of the Year and Fighter of the Year will follow.
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The fight itself was a wild, back-and-forth war that had the spectators at Nottingham Arena in England screaming their approval from beginning to end.
Make no mistake, though: It was the improbable ending on an unforgettable March 12 that will be etched in boxing lore.
Leigh Wood, fighting in his hometown, defended a secondary featherweight title against Irishman Michael Conlan. And the action started early, Conlan putting Wood down with a sweeping overhand left to seize the advantage and set the tone of the wild fight.
The 2012 Olympic bronze medalist from Belfast controlled the first half of the fight only to see the courageous Wood storm back down the stretch to set up Boxing Junkie’s 2022 Knockout of the Year.
Wood brought the crowd to its feet by putting Conlan down late in Round 11, although Conlan protested that he had slipped. Then, in the 12th and final round, came the ultimate drama.
The fighters, tapping into every ounce of their collective energy, were exchanging punches at a furious rate when Conlan stepped backward into the ropes midway through the round. At that moment Wood measured Conlan with his left and appeared to hurt him with a right, causing Conlan to drop his arms.
Wood then unloaded a flurry of quick punches that sent his unconscious opponent through the ropes and onto the floor. One second Conlan was fighting, the next he was gone, which caused disbelief and then euphoria throughout the pulsating arena.
Referee Steve Gray had a look at Conlan over the top rope to determine whether he could continue but realized quickly that he was finished and stopped the fight at 1:25.
There was some concern for Conlan for a time. A gracious Wood even tried to silence the crowd as doctors tended to the fallen warrior and then transported him to a hospital, although he had only modest success.
“I hit him with everything, but he’s so tough,” Wood said in the ring. “I’m just thinking about Mick now. It was a bad knockout.”
Conlan was OK. He tweeted later, “Im all good folks, cheers for the messages. Ill be back, good shot and congrats to Leigh and his team.”
Congrats to everyone who was fortunate enough to see the riveting fight and incredible ending. They’ll never forget it.
Tomorrow: 2022 Fight of the Year
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