Mauricio Lara has admitted he spat at bitter rival Josh Warrington just moments after brutally knocking out Leigh Wood in Nottingham. Mexican Lara ended Wood’s reign as WBA featherweight champion in devastating fashion with Warrington in attendance at the Motorpoint Arena.
Wood was cruising in the fight and appeared to be taking control, before hard-hitting Lara unleashed a fierce left hook to seal an explosive seventh round stoppage and claim his maiden world title.
But his ruthless performance was quickly overshadowed by a furious ringside clash in the immediate aftermath with his old foe Warrington, who was working as a pundit for DAZN. Warrington caught the attention of Lara, who appeared to spit towards him from the ring apron as the fighters were held back by security.
And Lara has now confirmed he did indeed spit on Warrington because things had got “personal” with his old rival. “Of course I did,” Lara told iFLTV. “Because it’s personal between me and him and that’s how it will always be.”
“He pretends to get out and go forward then he spat at me. I can have a little bit of pantomime, shouting and screaming at each other, but as soon as you spit at me I’m not having it.
“He was pretending to get around the ring, screaming and shouting, then he spat at me. For me, that’s the lowest of lows the dirty b******. I want that third fight more than anything but I did also say to Leigh Wood that I’ll give him the opportunity. I wasn’t going to train until Monday but now I’ll be in the gym tomorrow.”