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Woods poised to rule light heavies
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 11:40
by Max Molyneux
With Bernard Hopkins upsetting Antonio Tarver in Atlantic City last Saturday, the dynamics of the light heavyweight division have changed utterly - and IBF champion Clinton Woods is poised to take full advantage.
With Bernard Hopkins upsetting Antonio Tarver in Atlantic City last Saturday, the dynamics of the light heavyweight division have changed utterly - and IBF champion Clinton Woods is poised to take full advantage.
Hopkins easily outpointed Tarver, whom some considered to be the leader of the 175lbs (12stone 7lbs) division, only to announce his retirement from boxing immediately afterwards, leaving something of a void at the top of the division.
But Sheffield box-puncher Woods believes it will be he who seizes the vacant throne to become the new king of the light heavies.
Woods said: "I said right after winning the world title in 2005 that the next goal was establishing myself as the ultimate fighter in the division - and I will do that this year. By Christmas I will be recognised as the best light heavyweight on the planet."
Woods added: "Tarver wasn't the No.1 in the division in my eyes anyway, Glen Johnson was. Tarver and Johnson were one win apiece in their series and it was Tarver who chickened out of a third fight and went to make Rocky movies instead. We all saw how awful Tarver looked Saturday and I think he knew he was shot himself - he was just trying to avoid real fights and cash in while he could. He miscalculated, thinking Hopkins was shot, but he got it wrong and was badly found out."
The IBF champion said: "Now the No.1 spot is vacant and I think everyone would agree the winner of me and Johnson is the fight to find out the true top fighter in the division."
Woods v Johnson III has been mandated by the IBF and could take place as early as August.
Fight Academy's Dennis Hobson said: "We've been negotiating with Warrior's Boxing, who promote Johnson, and I've just sent them our final offer. Hopefully they will accept the deal, in which case we will be in a position to announce the date and venue soon or, if they don't accept it, we'll go to purse bids and we're very confident we'd win that.
"We really think Clinton takes Johnson apart this time and proves himself to be the undisputable top light heavyweight in the world. If Clinton does what we are all expecting him to do in his next fight, then he has got some massive nights ahead of him against some enormous names."
Those names including Hopkins, Roy Jones Junior and even Joe Calzaghe.
Hobson said: "When Clinton beats Johnson, we'll immediately make Hopkins an offer to see if he is interested in fighting again or, if Roy Jones looks impressive in his fight against Prince Badi Ajamu next month, Clinton would love to get his win back of him, too."
Hobson confirmed that the sporadic talks with Joe Calzaghe and promoter allegedly have continued this week.
He said: "Warren's matchmaker, Dean Powell, has called up to repeat the £400,000 offer they made a couple of months ago but that's still a low-ball offer. We have a bigger offer than that already on the table for Clinton to go to Australia to fight Danny Green. Green's people are offering us a huge pay-day and will even allow us to keep the UK TV rights, which puts Warren's offer in perspective.
"But I'd love to do Woods v Calzaghe. If we promoted it we'd pay Calzaghe a minimum of £1million and Clinton very similar to that by putting it on pay-per-view and giving the fighters a percentage."
Hobson added: "Also, I'd insist on promoting the card so I could be in the loop on what Calzaghe is doing. I respect Joe's ability, but he's earned himself a terrible reputation for pulling out of fights with twisted eyelashes and broken fingernails.
"He's very talented, but he seems to be one of those fighters who won't go into the ring unless everything is 110% in his favour. He's pulled out of FIVE* fights in the last two years and with all sorts of big fights now on Clinton's radar, I don't want to sign to fight Calzaghe only for him to do one of his pull-outs at the last minute and waste everyone's time."
Hope Clinton does well like anyway.
No way will Hop come out of retriement to fight him though as he'd only do it for 20 million.
Why the fook would they get Calzaghe Vs Woods on PPV when they'd pull more viewers on ITV and better exposure for both!
Woods beats Danny Green though if it happened.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 12:08
by nickd
Woods deserves his success, he's been a good honest pro and improved no end. But I wouldn't fancy his chances against Hopkins. If Hopkins fought like he did last Saturday he would beat Woods IMO.
If Woods gets by Johnson which I think he has a very good chance of doing then I think he should try and fight Erdei. Not sure how easy that fight would be to make though.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 12:17
by Neri
Can't see Hopkins even considering a Woods fight. Even if Woods where to demolish Johnson. No 20 mill in that.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 14:35
by Foggy
Danny Greens name came as abit of a shock to be chucked into the mix
I think Clinton beats Johnson, but i wouldn't call him number 1 in the division if he did, i still feel he'd have to beat a few more of the big boys to gain that honour maybe a unification for example.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 14:50
by josh fg
Good luck to woods after Johnson he can call himself a legitimate champion, if I were him Id chase down Tarver after that because that still strikes me as money to be made, would be added come back for the title interest for Tarver fans.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 15:56
by pundit
I fancy Woods, but I feel Adamek may be even better. Anyway, there are interesting matches to be made at 175.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 16:20
by glahn
Woods vs. Adamek is the dream fight at light heavy, if Clinton gets past Johnson. That's the one that will really decide who's top dog in the division (given that Erdie won't fight anyone with a pulse.)
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 16:23
by nickd
I think Adamek would beat Woods to be honest. He was mightily impressive against Briggs.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:05
by (craig)
josh fg wrote:Good luck to woods after Johnson he can call himself a legitimate champion, if I were him Id chase down Tarver after that because that still strikes me as money to be made, would be added come back for the title interest for Tarver fans.
Tarver has fans?
Staying on topic,I think if Woods gets past Johnson then Calzaghe will be chomping at the bit to get at him.Woods still seems to be gunning for Jones though, fair enough he can avenge his loss but surely beating Roy Jones now doesnt equate to much.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:12
by Max Molyneux
nickd wrote:I think Adamek would beat Woods to be honest. He was mightily impressive against Briggs.
Didn't brawl his way to winning that though?
And Woods as a counter Puncher could just outbox him. And the fact he;s been more inactive than Woods at the moment.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:18
by pundit
glahn wrote:Woods vs. Adamek is the dream fight at light heavy, if Clinton gets past Johnson. That's the one that will really decide who's top dog in the division (given that Erdie won't fight anyone with a pulse.)
Erdei will fight Urlich, who has a pulse as far as I'm concerned.
But I agree that Woods-Adamek is probably the most interesting matchup at 175 at this juncture.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:25
by nickd
Max Molyneux wrote:nickd wrote:I think Adamek would beat Woods to be honest. He was mightily impressive against Briggs.
Didn't brawl his way to winning that though?
And Woods as a counter Puncher could just outbox him. And the fact he;s been more inactive than Woods at the moment.
If you haven't seen it download the fight if you can, Adamek v Briggs is one of the better fights I have seen. And his KO of Ulrich is impressive.
Even with inactivity I think he'd beat Woods.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:37
by Max Molyneux
Didn't Ulrich get a gift decision Vs Barney though?
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:39
by nickd
Max Molyneux wrote:Didn't Ulrich get a gift decision Vs Barney though?
It was a close fight, that wasn't my point. Woods is obviously better than Ulrich, however you cant fail to be impressed by the way Adamek KO'd Ulrich it was brutal.
Posted: 13 Jun 2006, 17:42
by Max Molyneux
Wonder what Glen Johnsons Ko was like.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 02:43
by Graham Brett
Good luck to Woods I hope he makes as much money as possible.
He should start by accepting the £400k on offer to fight JC
I have heard that Woods highest purse to date was £150,000 gross.
My own worries are if Woods rules the division what a lack of depth it has.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 03:25
by Sweet P
Hopefully he fights Green over here, I will go and watch. I havn't seen much of Woods to be honest but Green will be a dangerous opponent at 175 and unless Woods can box well he might get more than he bargains for. Mundine outboxed Green but he is super quick if Woods trys to fight with Green then he may get KOd.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 03:43
by Autobarn
Max Molyneux wrote:Wonder what Glen Johnsons Ko was like.
Johnson spanked Ulrich. He hit him with some nasty right handers. That was one of Johnson's best ever performances.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 05:47
by Bard of Boxrec
this guy chad dawson seems next to be champ at 175, no?
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 06:31
by Max Molyneux
Graham Brett wrote:Good luck to Woods I hope he makes as much money as possible.
He should start by accepting the £400k on offer to fight JC
I have heard that Woods highest purse to date was £150,000 gross.
My own worries are if Woods rules the division what a lack of depth it has.
Found this quote about the 400 grand.
CLINTON Woods isn't interested in a £400,000 pay-day.
That, as The Star revealed yesterday, is what the IBF world light-heavyweight champion being offered by promoter allegedly to fight Welshman Joe Calzaghe in September.
But Sheffielder Woods said today: "I'd be a mug to take that, when Calzaghe is being offered more than double that to fight me.
"I hear he's been offered more than a million. And, anyway, it's Glencoffe Johnson that I'm interested in.
"He's the one that the Americans judge as number one, and he's my mandatory opponent.
"I'm not bothered about any 'Best of British' fight - I want to be undisputed world champion, and I will be once I've beaten Johnson.
"Having said that, if I fought Calzaghe, I'd beat him" he told The Star.
Woods' trainer, Richard Poxon, added: "Warren's offer is a head-line grabber to keep Calzaghe in the limelight, where people won't be talking about his injured hand.
"The fact is £400,000 was offered to Clinton three months ago and it didn't stack up with what Calzaghe has been offered."
If 150 grand is his highest pay then why hasn't he left Hobson? Hatton left Warren when he was making over 6 Million in 4 years, yet Hatton joins Hobson!
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 06:56
by nickd
The big difference is Hatton has a huge following and Woods doesn't.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 07:11
by jamesmcdonnell
Precisely.
However, you could argue that without Warren, Hatton would never have had that huge following, he was incredibly well moved and marketed was Hatton. His fighting style and persona helped, but Sports Network did as good a job with Hatton as I've ever seen anyone do with any fighter.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 07:20
by nickd
Warren did a great job no doubt.
Bear in mind Woods has been fighting in Leisure Centres and small venues most of his career, I dont think he's had too many fights at the Hallam Arena maybe 1 or 2.
Posted: 14 Jun 2006, 10:09
by lvlarc
Riddick Blowe wrote:this guy chad dawson seems next to be champ at 175, no?
Dawson was very sharp against Harding, would give Woods plenty of problems. Maybe a 50/50 fight.
Posted: 15 Jun 2006, 06:28
by steve689
He looked good against Ronald Boddie and Jamie Hearn as well, Harding was his step up and he coped well. Could well have the talent to make a big impression, perhaps he could come over and rule Europe like Yusef Mack told us all he was going to do before he was exposed by Alejandro Berrio!