Their first struggle in Sheffield had Warrington comfortably in management till a decisive Wooden punch within the seventh spherical ended the competition.
The rivalry had solely deepened since, mirrored within the charged ambiance of the sell-out 8,000-capacity enviornment because the football-loving fighters entered to songs of their respective golf equipment.
Warrington walked out to the Leeds United anthem Marching On Collectively, which segued into his trademark Kaiser Chiefs’ I Predict a Riot, however the travelling noise was outdone by the house crowd when Wooden – carrying sun shades and soaking within the second – emerged to Nottingham Forest’s Mull of Kintyre.
Wooden edged a scrappy first spherical. Warrington responded with a pointy proper hook and straight proper within the second.
The house crowd sang “Leigh Wooden is certainly one of our personal”, as their man settled right into a southpaw rhythm, slowing the tempo and selecting photographs from vary.
He landed a crisp mixture within the fifth earlier than Warrington drew blood from Wooden’s nostril with a single proper.
Each males had misplaced to Anthony Cacace since their first struggle, elevating the stakes for what felt like a final roll of the cube. But it was Warrington who appeared the extra light former champion.
“Give them one thing to sing about,” urged his father and coach Sean O’Hagan, predicting Wooden would tire.
As an alternative, the bout drifted. Wooden, fingers low, invited strain however Warrington couldn’t capitalise. The lull in motion seeped into the stands.
By the championship rounds, Warrington appeared to wish a knockdown, however there was little signal of 1 coming.
By the ultimate bell, the strain had evaporated and the result felt inevitable.
