By Lee Collier
The last time BoxingScene.com caught up with Sheffield’s Curtis Woodhouse, 10-1 (5 early), was after Ryan Rhodes’ triumphant night of becoming the European light middleweight champion. At the time Woodhouse was over the moon that he had landed a fight with Luton’s Graham Earl.
A couple of days later and the Earl fight fell through leaving Woodhouse disappointed for a couple of days until he got matched against former English title challenger Dean Hickman, 15-5-1 (5 early), leaving Woodhouse happy with the step up in level of opposition.
“I thought everything was right for the Earl fight”, explained Woodhouse, “and then a couple of days after the Rhodes fight Dave [Coldwell] rang and told me Earl had pulled out. It left me disappointed but he rang me a couple of days later with the Dean Hickman fight, which is probably a tougher fight. I’ve prepared myself for a tough eight rounds so it doesn’t matter who is in the other corner.”
Whilst Hickman has not been on good form the last couple of years he has some good scalps on his record and his losses have usually been when he has stepped up to English or British level.
“Hickman has beaten Lee McAllister and knocked out Adnan Amar, who is currently the English welterweight champion, so I know it’s going to be a tough fight, he can punch a bit so I’ve prepared for a hard fight and it’s the first time I have ever done eight rounds. These are the challenges I feel I am ready for and these next 12 months will either make me or break me,” predicted Woodhouse.
The Hickman fight will also be a first for Woodhouse, with the Sheffield fighter trying his arm down a weight division, dropping to the light welterweight category. Woodhouse seems comfortable with the move in divisions.
He said: “I made welterweight comfortably, well 148lbs or 149lbs without the need to diet, but for this fight I am coming in at 143lbs and it’s been a bit of a squeeze. It’s not killing me but I am having to diet and watch my fluid more than I used to.”
Like most professional fighters, one thing that rankles is a defeat and the need to rematch and overturn the result. Woodhouse is no different and he talked about avenging his loss to Jay Morris. “I felt I won the fight whilst in the ring, on the night I felt I won, and when I watched it back later I still felt I won. But the referee thought Jay Morris won and I respect his decision,” Woodhouse openly admitted.
“I’m not going to cry about it, Jay Morris boxed a good fight on the night. It’s probably been a good thing for me, it made me realise I needed to go down to light welterweight. If I had won I would have stayed at welterweight so it’s been a kick up the arse for me. Ideally, I’d like to get this fight done on Friday, get a win and then get Morris back in the ring. I spoke to him on Facebook and he told me he is coming down to light welterweight so hopefully we can get this rematch on sooner rather than later.”
One thing that comes across when speaking to Woodhouse is his honesty in discussing how far he will go in a sport he only took up at the age of 26, and with no amateur experience. “I had no amateur fights whatsoever,” admitted Woodhouse. “I watch some of my early fights and cringe at how raw I was but feel I am coming along now. I feel I am getting better with each fight and with the work I do with Dave in the gym I just feel I am getting better.”
“I believe I can win a British title”, declared Woodhouse, “I believed that when I came into boxing and I still believe I can do that down at light welterweight. This time next year I’ll be in the top 10 in the country at 147lbs.
“It’s alright saying it, but you have to go out and prove it and I’m not scared to do that. I’m not one these boxers who say they can win this and win that, I will just do my talking with my fists, and in twelve months I will be in and around the British title mix.”
