After failing to meet the weight requirement for his title match against Leigh Wood, Mexico’s Mauricio Lara had his WBA featherweight title stripped from him.

Wood did not exceed the nine-stone limit, but his team has raised questions about the Saturday fight in Manchester.

The match will likely go, according to promoter Eddie Hearn, and Wood is still qualified to compete for the title.

Ben Davison, Wood’s trainer, stated, “I can’t sit here and say we 100% rule out the fight not taking place.”

The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) expressed worries about how hefty the champion was following a weight check on Wednesday and did not want Lara to lose weight below 9st 2.5lbs.

Lara had to stop losing weight as a result, and on Friday, he weighed 9st 3.8lbs.

If the rematch occurs, Wood could still be in line to regain the championship he lost to Lara in February.

In their first battle, the Englishman was stopped in the eighth round.

After England’s WBA light-middleweight champion made weight for her fight against Croatia’s Ivana Habazin, Terri Harper’s hastily scheduled world-title defense is now on schedule.

In Manchester, Jack Catterall’s bout versus Darragh Foley at light welterweight serves as the main event, with Harper fighting on the undercard.

This weekend’s world title fights in Bournemouth will also feature Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith in addition to Wood.

‘A disaster for boxing, three world title contests in one night,’
LISTEN: A thrilling weekend of world championship competition
There was no equivalent weight drama on a sun-drenched Bournemouth Pier, but Londoner Okolie challenges Bournemouth fighter Billam-Smith for the WBO cruiserweight title at Vitality Stadium. Conlan’s “whole life” is on Lopez title battle.

The previous sparring partners each weighed 14st 3lbs.

The ceremonial weigh-in for Michael Conlan of Northern Ireland’s world title fight against IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez took place on Friday night in Belfast.

Manchester weight-related drama
Mauricio Lara checks in behind a banner He was informed on Friday that he could not reduce to the championship limit.
On Friday morning, there were rumors that Lara was having trouble gaining weight.

When promoter Boxxer held their competing event in Bournemouth, the story had been so widely circulated that it was a topic of conversation there.

There was a sizable throng waiting for the official weigh-in at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel in Manchester.

The BBBofC informed Lara that he could not lose any more weight just before the scheduled 1pm start, Matchroom confirmed.

However, the Mexican, who was only 24 when he won his world title, grinned and flashed his muscles following a friendly match with Wood, adding to the surreal atmosphere.

A weight difference of 4 pounds is a significant barrier for Wood to overcome against such a powerful puncher, and the Nottingham boxer has the additional disadvantage of having completed his weight cut while Lara has not.

Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith, former stablemates preparing for a fight in Bournemouth, pose for the fans at the weigh-in on Friday. Okolie is unbeaten in 19 professional fights, while Billam-Smith has won 17 and lost one.
It was a friendly event in Bournemouth where a stage had been set up in front of a merry-go-round and a helter-skelter slide. Billam-Smith and Okolie both made weight without difficulty.

Shane McGuigan, who previously coached Okolie until parting ways earlier this year, is the trainer of Billam-Smith.

The pier was packed with Billam-Smith supporters mixing with beachgoers who happened across the weigh-in enjoying a day at the beach.

No hands were exchanged during the face-to-face; instead, Billam-Smith grinned as Okolie remained expressionless.

In front of 4,000 spectators at the Bournemouth International Centre last year, Billam-Smith defeated Isaac Chamberlain.

The “pinnacle” of his career, according to him, will be competing in front of 15,000 fans at his beloved AFC Bournemouth’s stadium.

“It’s already been such a great event and build-up to be involved in,” he continued. “Ticket sales are soaring, and the community is rallying around me. It’s incredible.

For the second time in as many months, Okolie is competing. In March, he defeated David Light of New Zealand on points, and he thinks the back-to-back camps will be to his benefit.

“I’m in great shape, and I need to be in great shape because it’s going to be a tough fight until I’ve got control of it,” he said.