Leigh Wood rallies from early knockdown to thunderously stop Michael Conlan, send him out of the ring

The champion retained his WBA regular featherweight title in dramatic fashion on Saturday in England

A new entrant into the 2022 Fight of the Year race came to a frightening end in Nottingham, England when Leigh Wood scored a dramatic comeback knockout of Michael Conlan, sending Conlan through the ropes and crashing to the floor midway through Round 12.

Conlan started well, scoring a massive knockdown in the final seconds of the opening round. He then kept up the pressure on Wood in the second round, flurrying as Wood struggled to get his legs back under him.

After Conlan piled up nearly every round in the first half of the fight, Wood finally began storming back and a truly great fight broke out. Both men threw power shots and traded stretches of pressure and success until Wood scored a knockdown in Round 11. Conlan attempted to protest, claiming he hit the canvas as a result of a slip, though replays did show it to be the result of a punch.