BoxRec

Clinton Woods says talks have opened over a British super-fight between himself and Joe Calzaghe in 2008.

Sheffield's Woods, the IBF light-heavyweight champion, said he would be ready for a match in March.

"There's been talks and money's been offered. I could be ready in March or April," Woods told BBC Sport.

Warren apparently opened talks with Hopkins' representatives, Golden Boy Promotions, over a possible match in New York in the spring.

But Hopkins, a notoriously tough negotiator, has been told by his trainer to forget about a fight with Calzaghe and instead seek a rematch with old rival Roy Jones Jr.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7104177.stm

Personally, I'd be up for this. May not have the Yanks salivating, but tbh Woods I'm sure will do his best to make a decent tear-up of it

I'm so disappointed with this, I dunno where to start.

Especially as Hop told Merchant on Sat that they were in talks.

I hope that this is to get Joe the belt to make him more attractive to Bernard, but as Bunce said several weeks ago, if he faces Roy Jones it might be too late to fight Joe before he retires.

I would say Calzaghe has two big fights left in him before retirement. Woods early next year...maybe March or April and then the big summer showdown in the States with Hopkins. That's the way i would play it.

Great fight for the Brits. Bring it on. Woods is our most honest operator - he challenged Roy Jones at the height of his powers (IMO, disputed, I know), kept fighting for proper belts, changed his training, became world class.

This will be fiercer than Hopkins. Hopkins sounds like he doesn't fancy it & would no doubt go into spoiler mode/shell. Woods most definitely does fancy a fight. Joe's hardest fights have been vs Brits.

Hope this happens. Hope Clinton gets treated with a bit of respect by certain other parties. Bout time Woods got his payday, before the next repetitive mandatory comes across. And oh yes, this will be a real fight.

Not keen on Woods for some reason. Calzaghe also mentioned Clinton's name on Setanta in that interview a week after the Kessler fight. Say it ain't so! Fight Hopkins first then Woods in unification. If this fight doesn't materialise though, on the plus side...... 'Woods added that he is likely to fight WBC light-heavyweight champion Chad Dawson if a fight with Calzaghe does not come off'

Warren talks big, Calzaghe says he wants this opponent and that, I bet we get to see a re-match with Manfredo.

This is Crap!! - JC needs to finish off his career fighting the best fights and that for me can only happen if he goes to the US to fight the likes of B-HOP, FW is a complete plonker if he goes ahead with this silly and not-needed bout that there calling a British Super-Fight (lol)

Great careers are defined by fighting and beating the best not just by having unbeaten record on your cv.

Disappointed if it goes through this bout

i think its a more worthy fight than bhop or rjj, at least woods is alive and active and a world champion, plus its a good british tear up...

lets get it on !!

Probably just trying to concerntrate Hopkins mind, if it happens I hope its in a big venue and Clinton gets the payday he deserves.

For woods its Win Win Win. If he fights a good fight and looses the yanks see him fight well and it proves he is a good fighter and he will probably get more pay days over there. If he wins he has beat one of the best fighters out there and he gets respected and match ups deserving of that, if he looses badly he should still get a good retirement pacadge.

He is a nice guy so for him it would be good, for calzaghe its not the best move.

I really don't see what Joe has to gain by beating the 43 year old Hopkins. There is no way Nard could handle his workrate. A fight with Clinton would be much more entertaining.

JC needs to go to the States and fight now to complete his legacy as one of the all time greats - if he dosnt even with a record of never been beaten it still wont be enough todo that.

What happened to the alleged $17 mill offer to Joe from Golden Boy to go over there to fight B-Hop?

JC needs to go stateside for the mega payday and worldwide recognition he deserves although I'm sure that many fans on this side would prefer a fight with Clinton as we know how negative B-Hop can be.

Surely Hopkins is a MUCH bigger payday?

awful fight. typical one step forward two back for cazaghe if it happens, which i can see.

he will walk through woods, prove nothing, and make the press salivate by beating 'another world champion'.

I really really hope this doesnt happen. Woods is far from world class. He's a poor champion in a poor division and Calzaghe takes the fight thats at least another wasted 6 months.

warren wants his cardiff paydays before joe gets out.

not surprised at this one bit.

still wouldn't mind seeing this one though.

chesh wrote:What happened to the alleged $17 mill offer to Joe from Golden Boy to go over there to fight B-Hop?

wow!!!!!!!!!!

I'm very excited about this, more so than B-Hop. I'd rather see Joe in a real fight with a real champion than fighting an over the hill Bernard whose last great fight was against Tito. The fight with B-Hop would be terrible with B-Hop going into spoiler mode.

Whilst the Woods fight could be pretty amazing as Woods would have seen quite alot in the Kessler fight to fancy his chances - Joe getting tagged quite alot, getting pushed around at times with the bigger man and also the he should have nothing to fear from Joe's power as Joe seems far more worried about breakign his hands than going for the KO.

All in all it sets the scene for a classic scrap with Joe to win on PTS with a few scary moments throughout. Joe then is a two division champion and goes on to batter Dawson or Green and become linear LHW champion.

Mario wrote:I really really hope this doesnt happen. Woods is far from world class. He's a poor champion in a poor division and Calzaghe takes the fight thats at least another wasted 6 months.

Woods is world class. Doesn't make any sense saying he's far for world class. He's beaten Gonzalez, Hoye and Johnson.

If Woods' career improvement was brought on by Enzo Calzaghe half of you would be cumming in your pants.

Woods will prove how much he's improved. He lost badly to a still-great Jones. Now he faces another modern great - hopefully - and I believe he'll prove he belongs in that ring with a p4p entrant. (do not confuse this with me saying woods is a p4per or a modern great, anyone...I'm just saying he can make it an exciting fight).

It is not an exciting fight, regardless of what spin is put on it.

Clinton is slipping, and Calzaghe has likely peaked with the Kessler fight - I would rather see Calzaghe fighting and beating Hopkins.

It's plain and simple - Calzaghe/Hopkins is a much much bigger fight.

steve689 wrote:I would say Calzaghe has two big fights left in him before retirement. Woods early next year...maybe March or April and then the big summer showdown in the States with Hopkins. That's the way i would play it.

Dunno, provided his handshold up I can see him stretching to four after the way he beat Kessler. I'd guess Woods around Easter, B-Hop, Froch (by then a world champion in his own right) and some form of goodbye fight at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.

On the subject of Woods/Calzaghe - I'm drooling but, as a proud Yorkshireman but career long Calzaghe fan, somewhat conflicted. I can't really see Clinton winning it but I think it'd be a hell of a fight. Woods would drag Joe into a tear up, and whilst Calzaghe would land more blows, his failure to set himself combined with the Yorkshireman';s greater natural size means that Woods' would hurt more. I'd even imagine JC hitting the canvas before pulling away to a points win.

Twinkle Toes wrote:It is not an exciting fight, regardless of what spin is put on it.

Clinton is slipping, and Calzaghe has likely peaked with the Kessler fight - I would rather see Calzaghe fighting and beating Hopkins.

It's plain and simple - Calzaghe/Hopkins is a much much bigger fight.

Whatever way you spin it, Calzaghe-Hopkins is a crap fight.

Calzaghe-Woods is a physical fight.

Tykemania wrote:

steve689 wrote:I would say Calzaghe has two big fights left in him before retirement. Woods early next year...maybe March or April and then the big summer showdown in the States with Hopkins. That's the way i would play it.

Dunno, provided his handshold up I can see him stretching to four after the way he beat Kessler. I'd guess Woods around Easter, B-Hop, Froch (by then a world champion in his own right) and some form of goodbye fight at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.

On the subject of Woods/Calzaghe - I'm drooling but, as a proud Yorkshireman but career long Calzaghe fan, somewhat conflicted. I can't really see Clinton winning it but I think it'd be a hell of a fight. Woods would drag Joe into a tear up, and whilst Calzaghe would land more blows, his failure to set himself combined with the Yorkshireman';s greater natural size means that Woods' would hurt more. I'd even imagine JC hitting the canvas before pulling away to a points win.

On the woods fight I think skill wise Woods wins but it may be that Clinton has a greater power and Calzaghe's problems with his hands would mean that he wouldn't be able to get Clinton out of there.

Autobarn wrote:Whatever way you spin it, Calzaghe-Hopkins is a crap fight.

Calzaghe-Woods is a physical fight.

josh fg wrote:

Tykemania wrote:

steve689 wrote:I would say Calzaghe has two big fights left in him before retirement. Woods early next year...maybe March or April and then the big summer showdown in the States with Hopkins. That's the way i would play it.

Dunno, provided his handshold up I can see him stretching to four after the way he beat Kessler. I'd guess Woods around Easter, B-Hop, Froch (by then a world champion in his own right) and some form of goodbye fight at the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.

On the subject of Woods/Calzaghe - I'm drooling but, as a proud Yorkshireman but career long Calzaghe fan, somewhat conflicted. I can't really see Clinton winning it but I think it'd be a hell of a fight. Woods would drag Joe into a tear up, and whilst Calzaghe would land more blows, his failure to set himself combined with the Yorkshireman';s greater natural size means that Woods' would hurt more. I'd even imagine JC hitting the canvas before pulling away to a points win.

On the woods fight I think skill wise Woods wins but it may be that Clinton has a greater power and Calzaghe's problems with his hands would mean that he wouldn't be able to get Clinton out of there.

did you mean that skills wise Calzaghe wins it, perchance?