Davidson’s Ego Cost Wood Millions Accuses Conlan
Ben Davidson’s ego has cost Leigh Wood millions and set him up for a fall according to Michael Conlan.
The Belfast star was surprised to see the WBA Regular Champion agree to fight Mauricio Lara, the big punching Mexican who previously upset Josh Warrington, particularly when a lucrative rematch of their dramatic encounter was an option.
The extremely educated in the game talent believes a Lara fight is ‘pointless’ as well as ‘dangerous’ and a lot less lucrative than a repeat.
The Olympic medal winner claims it’s a bad business move but one he doesn’t think the Nottingham fighter has made himself.
The top Top Rank talent believes coach Ben Davidson, who the Conlan’s, Jamie and Mick, enjoyed some verbal sparring with in the build-up to the original fight, advised against the rematch – and did so for personal reasons.
“I was told his coach said he didn’t want to give us the rematch because ‘they disrespected me’, on about me and my brother in the build-up to the last fight,” Conlan told Boxing Social.
“So if his coach’s ego has got in the way of him earning a few million then it’s silly.
“He’d probably get more than double for fighting me in a rematch, so I don’t understand it. It’s a crazy choice but fair play to him for taking it. I just don’t think he’s clued in business wise. He is on about setting his family up and having big meaningful fights, the rematch is more meaningful and bigger than the Lara fight. The rematch is an awful lot more money, so he’s probably done himself out of a few million. I don’t think it’s solely his choice, I think it’s more so his coach’s ego in a way.”
Conlan has made it clear when it’s been suggested that Wood is keeping the repeat in his back pocket for a rainy day, that a return won’t appeal if the Matchroom fighter doesn’t bring the title to the table.
With that in mind, he fears the rematch will be in serious jeopardy when Wood and Lara fight in Nottingham.
“Crazy fight, silly fight, pointless fight. What does he get from beating Lara. Does he beat Lara? In my opinion, no, I think he gets flattened. In the words of Leigh Wood, I’m feather fisted and if there were 20 more seconds [in round one in our fight] he was flattened, so if a feathered-fisted Mick Conlan can flatten you then a heavy puncher like Lara is going to put you to sleep.
