Wikipedia:
Clinton Woods |
| Clinton Woods | |
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| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Clinton Woods |
| Nickname(s) | Super Clinton, Clint |
| Rated at | Light-Heavyweight |
| Height | 6 ft. 2 in. (187 cm.) |
| Nationality |  British |
| Birth date | 1 May 1972 |
| Birth place | Sheffield, England |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 45 |
| Wins | 41 |
| Wins by KO | 24 |
| Losses | 4 (1KO) |
| Draws | 1 |
Clinton Woods (born 1 May 1972), is a boxer from Sheffield, England. Growing up in tough surroundings, he was involved in a life of drugs and crime before taking up boxing as an escape.[1] He trains on the Gleadless Valley estate and is managed by Dennis Hobson. He is a former IBF light heavyweight World champion. He has also fought for the WBC Light Heavyweight title and has held the British, Commonwealth and European titles.
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Early professional career
Woods started his pro career with a points win over Dave Proctor in his home town of Sheffield. After compiling a record of 13-0 he stepped in with Craig Joseph and beat him over 10 rounds to win the Central Area super-middleweight title. His first title win coming at the Pinegrove Country Club in Sheffield which was also the scene of his first win. After a series of other victories Woods took himself to 18-0 and lined himself up for a fight for the vacant Commonwealth belt. In the other corner was Mark Baker who with a record of 20-1 at the time was a significant step up from any of his previous opponents. Woods won the fight and claimed the belt with a 12 round points decision.[2]
Defeat and refocus
No sooner had Woods claimed his first belt of substance, he ended up giving it away in his next fight. The unbeaten Woods found himself opposite former British champion David Starie on a bill at the KC Stadium in Hull. The fight ended in a first defeat for Woods and it was that defeat that Woods claimed put him firmly on the road to future success. Of his attitude before the Starie fight, Woods said that "I won my first 19 fights and I still never believed I would win anything...I was still working as a plasterer and when we'd got enough money we were still going out and spending it all on drink. But it was those experiences which gave me the hunger I have got now".[3]
Winning ways
Woods bounced back from the Starie defeat by moving up a weight division to light-heavyweight and winning his next two fights before landing a shot at fellow Yorkshireman and current holder of the British, Commonwealth and European light-heavyweight titles Crawford Ashley. During an interview with Boxing Monthly Woods said that not many people had faith in him beating Ashley but that is exactly what he did.[4] He said "Not many people had faith in me. Only my trainer and Dennis Hobson. I knew I could beat him. I knew it would be a tough fight. I just had to get past a few rounds. And that's what I did. I just stood in there and took his best shots. My fitness and my youth got through the fight for me...In all my boxing career, I've never been frightened about fighting anybody. But, the first round, he caught me with a good shot. It bust my nose. I can remember thinking: "Oh, I think I'm out of my depth here." I thought he was too strong for me. Then I changed tactics. I started going towards him. That's the way I've boxed from then on".[5] The fight finished in the 8th round and Woods now held three decent belts.
He ended up defending his Commonwealth and European titles twice each and adding the WBC International light-heavyweight title to his résumé. The latter victory being for a WBC strap set himself up for an eliminator for the full WBC light-heavyweight title. The fight took place in Sheffield, in September 2001. Woods beat the experienced Italian-Ugandan Yawe Davis in a unanimous decision to land himself a shot at a substantial World title commenting on the fight Woods said "That was one of the toughest fights I have ever been in, Yawe Davis was a really tough opponent".[6]
World title fights
Clinton travelled to the United States for his big chance in September 2002. He stepped into the ring at the Rose Garden in Oregon and stood opposite the current champion,
Woods rebuilt from the defeat by Jones with three straight wins and then found himself in the ring with Glen Johnson. His second World title attempt was for the IBF version and took place in November 2003 at Sheffield's Hillsborough Leisure Centre and the fight ended in a draw. Three months later in February 2004 the two met once again in Sheffield this time at the Ponds Forge Centre, the result this time going Johnson's way after 12 rounds.[8] Woods he had now fought for 3 world titles and never taken home the belt. Following the win over Woods, Johnson went on to defeat
IBF World champion
The nearly man of the light heavyweight division found himself in an IBF title eliminator in his next fight. Eight months after his defeat to Johnson, Woods took on the Australian Jason DeLisle at the Octagon Centre in Sheffield. He won the fight despite being put down in the first round and set himself up for world title fight number 4. The title was vacant again and this time Woods found himself in the ring with undefeated American Rico Hoye. The fight took place in Rotherham and ended with Woods winning when the referee stopped the fight in the 5th round. Of the stoppage and the end of his title dreams Hoye sbaid "I'm a fighter, y'know, so my thing is if I have to lose, knock me out". On his opponent who had been put down by Delisle and beaten by Jones and Johnson he said "One thing's for sure, he was a different guy from the one I've been watching these last weeks on tape. Completely different." [10]
Following the Hoye win, he embarked on the most successful part of his career to date. He defeated mandatory challenge Julio Cesar Gonzalez in his next fight and then took on Jason Delisle once more in a voluntary defence. An established champion his next bout was to be against Glen Johnson again. Now 34 years old, Woods faced Johnson for the 3rd time in September 2006. Frank Warren won the purse bids for what was bound to be a gruelling fight. In the ninth round Woods sustained heavy punishment to the head at the hands of the Jamaican, but the Sheffield boxer fought back to win the subsequent rounds. American judge, Richard Bays scored the fight 115-112 in favour of Woods, Mickey Vann scored the contest 115-113 in favour of Johnson and Roberto Ramirez 116-112 scored in favour of Woods. It was a split decision but Woods had gained the best win of his career over the man who had beaten him in 2004.[11]
Defeat to Tarver
Woods defended his title once more against mandatory challenger Julio Cesar Gonzalez before heading back out to the USA to meet Antonio Tarver in was widely seen as Woods' chance to break out into the American mainstream as a fighter. Before the Tarver fight the only time American's had been exposed to Wood's on home soil was his defeat over six rounds to
Tarver outboxed Woods and won by a unanimous points decision. After the fight Woods said "I could have done better, but I've achieved more than I ever could have dreamt of. I thought I could've won it, but I didn't. The easy thing to say is that I'll pack it in, but I don't want to say anything rash." His promoter Dennis Hobson was a little more scathing of the result saying "It p***es me off that he's come twice to the US and looked the same, limited, one-paced game kid...But he's better than that, he didn't do himself justice. You can't say he hasn't got it at this level - look at his performances against Glen Johnson. But he never got going from round one. Tarver could have been 49 and boxed at that pace."[13]
References
- ^ The Sun | Woods: My Mum saved my life
- ^ Boxrec | Clinton Woods professional record
- ^ Journal Live | Clinton's still Hungry - Interview includes reference to Starie fight
- ^ Boxing Monthly | Interview with Clinton Woods - ref to Ashley
- ^ Boxing Monthly | Interview with Clinton Woods
- ^ BBC Sport | Woods sets up fight with Jones
- ^ BBC Sport | Q&A with Clinton Woods
- ^ Britishboxing.nt | Woods record
- ^ ESPN | Boxing's best of 2004
- ^ Fight Academy | Woods wins world title
- ^ BBC Sport | Woods hits back to stun Johnson
- ^ Times Online | Woods winning fight for life
- ^ The Times | Woods thrashed by Antonio Tarver
See also
External links
| Preceded by Glen Johnson Stripped |
IBF Light Heavyweight Champion March 4, 2005 – April 12, 2008 |
Succeeded by Antonio Tarver |
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