Summary

  • Britons Leigh Wood and Chris Billam-Smith emerge world champions in chaotic night of boxing

  • Wood reclaims WBA featherweight world title with points win over Mauricio Lara in Manchester

  • Nottingham's Wood produces disciplined and classy performance to gain revenge over Lara

  • Scorecards read 118-109, 116-111 and 118-109 for Wood

  • Billam-Smith dethrones Lawrence Okolie of his WBO cruiserweight title in Bournemouth

  • Billam-Smith wins via majority decision after knocking Okolie down three times

  • Scorecards read 112-112, 116-107 and 115-108 for Billam-Smith

  • Get involved #bbcboxing

  1. Is Bournemouth the place to be?published at 21:11 British Summer Time 27 May 2023

    Okolie v Billam-Smith

    Kal Sajad
    BBC Sport at Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

    Boxing fans are spoilt for choice this evening. What I will say is there only one fight where there is guaranteed to be a British world champion by the end of the night. Not that I'm choosing sides or anything!

    Lawrence Okolie v Chris Billam-Smith is a juicy match-up between two former stablemates. The undefeated Okolie is the favourite, but Billam-Smith is a live contender and one of the most improved active British fighters.

    The closer we have got to fight night, the more people have started to give Billam-Smith a real chance of dethroning Okolie.

    A wide shot of Bournemouth's Vitality StadiumImage source, Christopher Dean/Boxxer
  2. get involved

    Get Involved - Which is the best fight tonight?published at 21:08 British Summer Time 27 May 2023

    Tweet us using #bbcboxing

    We have been blessed/cursed with three incredible fights this evening. So many different strengths and styles on display.

    But which fight are you backing to be the most entertaining this evening? Give us a shout on social media using the hashtag above.

  3. 'Worst thing that can happen to boxing'published at 21:06 British Summer Time 27 May 2023

    Steve Bunce
    Boxing expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Having three good world title fights in three different venues on one night is an absolute disaster for boxing.

    It's about the worst thing that can happen in this sport, and I really mean that.

    This is not even the first time this year we've had clashes and they seem to be happening more on a regular basis in recent times. But this is the first time in my lifetime we've had three world titles in three different locations in England and Northern Ireland in one night.

    Who doesn't want to be in Bournemouth in the sunshine to watch Billam-Smith take on world champion Okolie at the Vitality Stadium?

    Who doesn't want to be in Manchester to see if Wood can pull it off against Lara after coming so close the first time? And who in their right mind doesn't want to be in Belfast for Conlan winning a world title?

    These are sell-your-granny fights, they really are. I can make a case for each of these events being monster events and they've been lumped together during a two-hour period in one night. It's madness.

    Read more from Steve Bunce here.

  4. Thanks for joining uspublished at 21:04 British Summer Time 27 May 2023

    Good evening and welcome along to a frantic evening of boxing.

    This page will be focusing on the WBO cruiserweight title fight between Britons Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith and the eagerly-anticipated rematch between Maurico Lara and Leigh Wood, with the Briton aiming to win the WBA featherweight belt.

    In this very page we will have live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live of the Lara-Wood contest from 22:00 BST.

    Both the above fights are expected to start at the same time, but we will keep you across all the action from Bournemouth and Manchester.

    For full coverage of the bout between Luis Alberto Lopez and Michael Conlan for the IBF featherweight title in Belfast, click here to follow along.

  5. Busy, busy, busypublished at 20:59 British Summer Time 27 May 2023

    Leigh Wood looks to get some revenge on Mauricio Lara and win the WBA featherweight belt...

    Leigh WoodImage source, Getty Images

    ...and former gym mates Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-Smith go head-to-head for the WBO cruiserweight title.

    It's going to be a busy night ahead.

    Lawrence Okolie and Chris Billam-SmithImage source, Lawrence Lustig