Warrington said he “grieved” his career in the wake of that defeat, a revealing description that revealed how final the moment felt at the time. He briefly stepped away before returning in April 2025, where he singled out Asad Asif Khan to relocate activity. That win restored momentum to his career, but it didn’t erase the reality that his reputation was already damaged.
Warrington admits career doubts
The rematch with Wood now gives him a direct route back to relevance, but it also reopens the memory of how suddenly things changed in their first meeting. Warrington built a lead through pressure and volume before Wood ended the fight with a single right hand in the seventh round. The finish did more than a stoppage. It changed how Warrington was viewed, raising questions about durability and his ability to hold position against elite opposition.
Wood enters the rematch from a similar point in his career. Both fighters have suffered losses against Cacace since their first meeting, and neither has rebuilt enough momentum to remove uncertainty about how much they have left. That reality removes the safety net that existed earlier in their careers, where setbacks could be absorbed without threatening their long-term standing.
Warrington insisted he can make the necessary adjustments and says he doesn’t expect Wood to offer anything dramatically different from their previous fight. That trust reflects familiarity, but familiarity does not guarantee security. Wood has already proven that he can end the fight abruptly, and that result remains present every moment they share the ring again.
This rematch is less about rivalry and more about survival at the elite level. Warrington had already experienced the emotional reality of believing his career was over once before. A second decisive loss will make it more difficult to continue, and fighters rarely recover their position after reaching that stage twice.
Leigh Wood and Josh Warrington will fight in a rematch on Saturday at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham, England. The fight will be broadcast live on DAZN.
Wood stopped Warrington in the seventh round of their first fight in October 2023 after trailing on the scorecards, a result that remains the defining moment between them.
