BoxRec

Just wondering now that Clinton Woods moves up to the number 2 spot in the IBF rankings surely he will have to fight the number 1 challenger Rico Hoye, before he gets another shot at Johnson and the IBF title, anybody know the situation?

Yes i would think so...however i wouldn't fancy Woods chances as Hoye is a vicious puncher on a good roll at the moment, i think he would stop Clinton if the fight came off. I am just convinced just how much Woods has left at this stage of his career.

If he does get past Hoye, then he has definetly earned a third shot, sorry fourth. I haven't see hoye yet, but from what I've heard he's a pretty murderous puncher, sounds like a future cruiserweight too by the size of the bastard.

Apparently, Montell Griffin did a number on Hoye but didn't get the decision - people have said he was as clear a winner as Emmanuel Augustus was vs Courtney Burton. I don't know what this means - Griffin was an excellent Light Heavyweight (would have been a longstanding champion if it was for Mr Jones IMO). However, he looked a shopworn fighter vs Tarver.

This either means Tarver is a very UNDERATED fighter, or Rico Hoye isn't all that because Tarver made a fighter that essentially beat Hoye look average.

dont believe the hype, Woods has showed a great ability to suck it up and come back (see Klemensen, RJJ).

Hoye hits hard but I reckon when the going gets tough Clinton might take him to trenches where he hasnt been before.

For someone who is used to bowling people over this is very dis-spiriting (sp???) a al Benn-Watson, Tyson V douglas etc etc

knockout wrote:dont believe the hype, Woods has showed a great ability to suck it up and come back (see Klemensen, RJJ).

Hoye hits hard but I reckon when the going gets tough Clinton might take him to trenches where he hasnt been before.

For someone who is used to bowling people over this is very dis-spiriting (sp???) a al Benn-Watson, Tyson V douglas etc etc

Great point, knockout.

I think that's what may have happened to Julian Jackson when he met Mike McCallum. After trying to bomb out the Bodysnatcher in round 1, and making him reel against the ropes, he fell apart when McCallum eat those shots and came back re-energized, stronger in the second. Jackson never even looked hurt at the stoppage, just stood against the ropes and never threw punches back because his will and confidence had been completely broken.

McCallum had an iron chin too. You might stun him early on, but you weren't likely to keep him hurt. Curry staggered him a couple of times, but as the fight wore on, McCallum started closing the gap and then whammo!

Yes, if I remember rightly, McCallum did a similar performance vs Watson - although Michael never hurt him he was doing very well early on but the Bodysnatcher strength came through at the crucial stage.

Curry was diabled by the eye injury and I do think that win as a little lucky, cuase the KO didn't look like happening.

Yeah McCallum hurt Watson with his devastating body shots as usual... McCallum was a great fighter, when he came out at the DLH-Hopkins weigh in and waved to the crowd only a few people clapped and some even looked at one another like "Who?". It was criminal :( Very underrated IMO.

Guys I saw fight Rico Hoye-Griffin with my own eyes, and this was just unberable to watch how judjes gave SD to Hoye. Griffin small guy outbox this bum Hoye for all 12 rounds. Hoye might have power but he wasn't land one single clean punch against Griffin. I hope Woods be smart and not going to fight this bum in his Michigan state where judges so unfair

From boxingtalk.com:
If in fact Tarver-Johnson comes to fruition on December 18 at the Staples Center (as BT has been hinting of for quite some time), Boxingtalk understands that since both men face conflicting mandatory defenses against lesser opponents, Tarver and Johnson will vacate their respective WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles and there is a very good chance that only the Tarver's IBO belt will be on the line.

If this happens Woods will probably fight Hoye for the vacant IBF belt.

If that happens, and Woods can get past Hoye, might we see a Woods Calzaghe match-up? Always good to see an all-british match-up for one of the big belts.

Freiheit wrote:From boxingtalk.com:
If in fact Tarver-Johnson comes to fruition on December 18 at the Staples Center (as BT has been hinting of for quite some time), Boxingtalk understands that since both men face conflicting mandatory defenses against lesser opponents, Tarver and Johnson will vacate their respective WBC and IBF light heavyweight titles and there is a very good chance that only the Tarver's IBO belt will be on the line.

If this happens Woods will probably fight Hoye for the vacant IBF belt.

You gotta say if this is the case the Woods camp have played it very well, another vacant title shot for Woods (I wonder if they knew this may happen)