This is being shown live on the BBC next Friday (4th March) at 11:30pm.

Obviously everyone knows that the IBF belt that they're fighting for doesn't really carry any weight in this instance, as by rights Glen Johnson wouldn't have had to have relinquish it to meet Tarver and would have added Tarver's WBC belt to his collection.

I don't actually know much about Hoye at all... all I do know is that he's 18-0 (14 KOs), which is an impressive record by anyone's beginning standards. He holds a win over Montell Griffin.

Woods was dominated by Roy Jones until it was stopped after six, but went the distance twice with Johnson. The first was a draw (considered controversial, though - for what it's worth - I thought it was legitimate) and the second Johnson won. I like Clinton, but he's a little two dimensional. Though only two years older than Hoye, Clinton has had forty bouts, with 22 KOs, three losses (the other to British and Commonwealth Champ David Starie) and one draw.

From the paper evidence, I'd have to go with Hoye. I'd suggest that he might be green, but Woods isn't the most adaptable and learned of fighters. But what say the rest of you?

Hoye looked like crap against Griffin and Woods is crap, so I wouldn't expect the winner to hold the belt for very long.

Wow, great analysis there. (sarcasm)

Woods is a decentlightheavyweight, as is Hoye. Both are limited however in what they can do, like most fighters. Hoye actually lost that fight against Montell Griffin in many people's eyes, but at least Woods fought on even terms with Glen Johnson and had his moments vs Roy, albeit short-lived.

I'm going to go with Woods in this one, but it could go either way...Hoye has power.

Like I said before, the winner of this won't have the title for wrong, and it looks like Julio Cesar Gonzalez is fighting Griffin in a IBF heavyweight title eliminator, so it looks like Gonzalez will probably be IBF champ before the years over.

The title is meaningless anyway... everyone who follows boxing knows that Johnson is still the "real" IBF champ.

The title is meaningless anyway... everyone who follows boxing knows that Johnson is still the "real" IBF champ.

How so? I get what you are saying, but I doubt that many people feel that way unless its a planet of hypocrites. That'd be like saying that everyone who follows boxing knows that DM was the real IBF and WBA champion when RJJ had them, which is the view some people hold but clearly not everyone.

Clinton Woods is a tough S.O.B. I got my money on him, even though I've never seen Rico Hoye..

How so? I get what you are saying, but I doubt that many people feel that way unless its a planet of hypocrites. That'd be like saying that everyone who follows boxing knows that DM was the real IBF and WBA champion when RJJ had them, which is the view some people hold but clearly not everyone.
Sorry, maybe I should have said "real" Light-Heavyweight Champ. And Tarver above whoever wins, too.

I am going with Rico Hoye, I've seen him fight and I've seen him drop some people hard. As for the Griffen fight, Montel has that ability to make almost anybody look bad. He made James Toney look bad coming straight out of the olympics when they sparred at Galaxy and then made him look bad again when they fought a couple of times later. He4 just has that style.

I talked with Bill miller about the bout, he will be working with rico acouple of weeks before the bout. Bill says that it will not be an easy fight but that Rico should come through.

Another detroit fighter going for a belt is always exciting to me. But Rico is a little bit different. He is an extremely amiable guy with a good smile and an even better left hook. He would be good for the public should he win and good for boxing.....Rockin'