Leigh Wood sends Michael Conlan through the ropes with brutal KO to secure epic comeback

Michael Conlan had the WBA featherweight title in the bag on Saturday in Nottingham, England, until he didn’t. Leigh Wood staged a remarkable late comeback and stopped Conlan at 1:25 of the 12th round to retain the title that throughout the fight seemed destined to go to Conlan.

Conlan dropped Wood hard at the end of the first round with a sweeping left hand. He hurt him several times in the second round and then again at points in the first eight rounds.

Wood was behind badly on all three cards after 10 rounds, but dropped Conlan in the 11th with a left and then finished him in the 12th. Conlan seemed exhausted as he backed to the ropes and his hands dropped to his side.

Wood threw a multi-punch combination that sent Conlan through the ropes and down onto the floor. He was taken from Nottingham Arena by ambulance. Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti, who was at ringside, said Conlan was alert and talking in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

It was a stunning turn of events. Conlan was up 104-103 on two cards and 105-102 on the other but couldn’t make it to the finish line. He fought brilliantly for most of the night, but as promoter Eddie Hearn said, Wood delivered one of the most breathtaking comebacks in recent boxing history.

“We should be celebrating one of the greatest comebacks I’ve seen in a ring,” Hearn said. “But of course, all we’re doing is praying for Michael Conlan. It was right above us. He took him out. He fell through the ropes. The fight was over and it was just the most brave, courageous fight back from Leigh Wood.

“He got taken out in the first round. He couldn’t find his legs for four or five rounds. I thought it was a master class from Michael Conlan through the middle stages and even the back stages of the fight. Leigh was coming on in the 11th and if I’m honest, I couldn’t really see a way that he could turn that fight around. To win that fight by knockout is one of the best comebacks in a fight.”

It was a high-contact, fast-paced affair and both men took plenty of punishment. Conlan disputed referee Steve Gray’s call of a knockdown in the 11th, claiming he slipped. Replays, though, showed that Wood connected with a left.

Both men battled in the 12th and while Wood had the edge, Conlan had his moments. After an exchange, Conlan's back was to the ropes. All of a sudden, he dropped his hands to his side and Wood ripped him with a flurry that sent him out of the ring.

There was a long delay before the verdict was announced as Conlan was treated at ringside.