Hostilities will definitely restart when the two former world featherweight champions meet Saturday night. DAZN will stream the 12-round junior lightweight fight from a sold-out Motorpoint Arena in Wood’s hometown of Nottingham, England (7 p.m. GMT; 2 p.m. ET).

The rift between them intensified since they first boxed in October 2023.

Written off beforehand, Warrington rolled back the years and set about Wood from the opening bell. He had built a solid lead before Wood turned the tide dramatically and scored a controversial seventh-round stoppage.

Immediately after their fight, any disagreements and differences of opinion centered around the nature of the stoppage. Over time, a bitter grudge has developed.

This delayed rematch may be the most lucrative, high-profile option remaining for both men, but it certainly isn’t a manufactured rivalry. Wood and Warrington don’t like each other.

Both former champions have seen and done almost everything there is to do in the sport and know there is little to be gained by arguing during fight week. With their second fight just two days away, they toned down the trash talk and spoke confidently about their own chances.

“I’m confident. That’s not me thinking it’s going to be easy,” Wood said. “I don’t think it’s going to be easy, I’m not expecting it to be easy, nor do I really want it to be easy because I actually feel better when I actually go through a little bit and get the victory as you’ve seen in previous fights. But, yeah, I’m confident. I know what I need to do. It’s a lot clearer.”

Now 37, the two-time WBA featherweight champion acknowledges that his thrill-a-minute career is drawing to a close, but Wood (28-4, 17 KOs) has spoken repeatedly about how well his preparations have gone and believes he is primed to give his hometown fans one more memorable night.

“We’re both going to have the will to win,” Wood said. “I’m not underestimating him, I know what he brings. We’re both two-time world champions and you have to have something about you to get to that level. But I just feel on Saturday night, my something is going to shine so f------ bright.”

Warrington (32-4-1, 8 KOs) will know that he must even the score with Wood if he is to keep himself in the mix for big fights.

“The Leeds Warrior” has won only two fights since he was shockingly stopped by the then-unknown Mauricio Lara back in February 2021. Despite the controversial result, his performance against Wood was arguably his best showing in that time.

Warrington’s father and trainer, Sean O’Hagan, said that the 35-year-old veteran’s preparations have been reminiscent of the days when he willed himself to the top of the featherweight division.

Warrington laughed off Wood’s claim that he will win even quicker this time around and insisted that if the fight does end inside the distance, it will be he who has his hand raised.

“Absolutely, absolutely. That's the only way I see it going to be honest with you,” Warrington said. “I can’t really see what Leigh’s going to do differently to make it go quicker because he tried to push me in the first fight. We boxed him, we out-fought him. We pushed him onto the ropes, we went on the back foot.

“We did everything we had to do, but obviously left ourselves very open and he did catch me with a fantastic shot and then five clean ones after that and the fight was over. That’s how quickly this spot can be changed but we know what not to do this time around and what to press him a little bit more with so I’m very, very confident that the fight will go early.”