By Lee Collier
Curtis Woodhouse, 11-1 (6 early), attempts to correct the one blip on his record when he takes on Jay Morris, 11-14-1 (3 KOs) on a Dave Coldwell productions card entitled ‘Repeat or Revenge?’ Back in April 2009 Woodhouse, who was unbeaten in ten, was surprisingly beaten over six rounds by the Isle of Wight-based Morris on referee Sean Russell’s scorecard (Morris won 58-57).
Woodhouse returned to action in November beating former English lightweight and light-welterweight challenger Dean Hickman in the sixth round and immediately set about targeting Morris in a fight that will be contested for the vacant International Masters light-welterweight title.
Promoter for the evening is Dave Coldwell who, alongside being ‘Head of Boxing’ at Hayemaker promotions, is also Woodhouse’s manager and trainer. A lot is at stake for the former England under-21 footballer and Coldwell believes that the night will end up being revenge and not repeat.
“The way Curtis is looking at the minute it is definitely going to be revenge,” stated Coldwell. “Curtis is looking sharp in training, the weight is good, the hand speed is there and we have worked a lot on his strength and conditioning, we are really happy. Curtis has started sparring and is coming on how I want. In the next couple of weeks the sparring is going to step up and all the training is going up in level and he will be in really good shape for the 28th of February.”
This fight is only Woodhouse’s second fight at 140lbs; Coldwell feels that making weight is not an issue and that light-welterweight is the right area for Woodhouse. “His last fight against Dean Hickman he weighed 10st 1lb on the day so he only needs to lose another pound so weight is not an issue for Curtis,” revealed Coldwell.
“He looks a completely different fighter at light-welterweight. At welterweight he was cut but his body was square. At light-welterweight you can see his body in a V shape so he looks in great shape,” explained Coldwell.
Whilst no trainer likes seeing his fighter lose, Coldwell feels that the loss to Morris will be the making of Woodhouse and will be the event that changes the fighter’s career. “The Jay Morris fight was Curtis worst performance, he boxed poorly, he was a little bit on edge as David Haye was in the changing rooms and it was a big fight experience away from home for him. Coming out in Belfast, not having his fans, left him flat, I remember in the fight telling him to pick it up and telling him to stop letting Morris bully him but he just changed nothing,” recalled Coldwell.
“I still thought he won the fight but I don’t think it was a fight you could say was a robbery. I felt Curtis did enough for the win. Looking back it’s the best thing that could have happened for him. When he is playing football it’s hard in training. You can’t get him to come down to 140lbs or make him work as hard in training as you have to accommodate his football,” explained Coldwell.
“After the loss he has cut back on his football, he trains once a week and plays once a week. He is predominantly a boxer, a full time boxer and part time footballer. It has allowed his weight to come down naturally, he is stronger, training harder and he has more time in the gym working on technique.”
Coldwell clearly thinks a lot of Woodhouse, a former Premiership footballer who represented England at Under 21 level. The Yorkshireman turned pro at the age of 26 having had no amateur experience and Coldwell feels boxing fans should remember that Woodhouse is still on a learning curve.
“Curtis is still a work in progress. He never had an amateur fight and has been with me for 12 fights and it’s been an education for him and he is rising to it. I am so impressed with him, he wants to learn and since the Jay Morris fight he is so much better technically,” confided Coldwell.
“Curtis has a tremendous but underrated jab, he is strong but he likes to have a tear up but he can box too. One of two people on the Internet have asked when Curtis is going to fight real fighters,” said a bemused Coldwell.
“What I don’t understand is that Curtis isn’t screaming saying I am going to be this champion and that champion. He is simply a bloke saying he is going to give boxing a go and see how far he can go and the dream is to fight for a British title, not a world title.”
Coldwell continued: “He has been boxing for 3 years, has been beat and come back, and then beat a banger with a higher ranking than him [Dean Hickman], who beat [Lee] McAllister - how many good prospects do that. With the Hickman win he made a statement and he deserves a lot of respect. I respect him as an individual.”
Coldwell feels that the British title is a realistic target and the promoter explained what the path is for Woodhouse after the Morris fight. “After the Morris fight I am looking to get an English title for Curtis in 2010. Curtis’s whole education has been in the pro game and that’s why I want people to understand why I haven’t thrown him in deeper than I have but Curtis will come of age this year,” declared Coldwell.
Tickets for the Curtis Woodhouse-Jay Morris rematch can be bought by visiting www.visitmagna.co.uk/showtime or by ringing 01709 720002 and tickets cost £50 Ringside or £25 Standard Entry
