Photos: Leigh Wood Takes Out Xu Can in Twelfth For WBA Title

Brentwood, UK - For the WBA "regular" featherweight title, Leigh Wood (25-2, 15 KOs) stopped Xu Can (18-3, 3 KOs) in the twelfth and final round to become a champion. (photos by Mark Robinson)

After a close first, Wood began to let his hands go during the second round. Can was mostly in a defensive posture while waiting for openings to counter back.

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Can was really picking up the pace in the third, with Wood still landing the better and harder punches. The fourth was also close as Can continued to let his hands go. The right hand of Can was landing often in the fifth. In the sixth, it was Wood with the harder shots and Can with the workrate.

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During the seventh, both had their moments. Wood was picking up his workrate. The British boxer was doing more of the same in the eight, with Wood letting his hands go and unloading with heavy blows on Can. A close ninth. Wood may have nicked it with some heavy blows in the closing moments.

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Can was landing well in the tenth. He was pressing forward and making Wood work very hard. A give and take in the eleventh. Wood was landing by far the harder shots. In the twelfth and final round, Can came out swinging. Wood was willing to exchange off the jab. Wood was still landing the more telling punches. As Can was coming on, Wood dropped him with a big right hand. Can beat the count - and Wood went on the attack and was letting his hands go. Wood was battering ahead with punches as Can was trapped against the ropes - and the referee jumped in to wave off the fight

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