By Terence Dooley

Curtis Woodhouse is not averse to answering a question, or ten, but for once the Drillfield-based fighter was the one dishing out a few as he relaxed in his dressing room after defeating Jay Morris, the only man to have beaten Woodhouse as a pro, in three rounds at the Magna Centre, Rotherham on Sunday afternoon. 

“Where is my title?” laughed Woodhouse, who picked up the vacant light-welterweight International Masters title with this win; he then asked trainer and promoter Dave Coldwell if he could spill the beans about his next opponent.

With permission granted, Curtis announced that he’ll be fighting French national champion Christophe Sebire on the undercard of Dave Haye’s WBA heavyweight title defence against John Ruiz.  Curtis knows the Frenchman well; they’ve sparred one another and Sebire took a chunk out off Curtis during the sessions, so no love lost there.  However, thoughts of Sebire were briefly put to one side as Woodhouse basked in the glory of a knockout reverse over the man who had defeated him on points last May.

Coldwell put together a tightly packed and enjoyable show on Sunday afternoon, with each successive bout whetting the appetitive for the main event.  I joined the trainer and fighter in the dressing room and saw first-hand the pressure that Coldwell was under.  Dave was training, managing, promoting and, also, trying to figure out how to accommodate the large amount of people, over a thousand, who had turned up for his small hall show. 

Extra seating was arranged, Curtis was warmed up, and Coldwell completed his ‘man of all trade’ routines by turning security guard and kicking everyone out so that he could give his charge some last minute instructions.  They clearly worked as Curtis (9st 12lb 14oz) was all business once the first bell rang; he hammered home a left hook that caused Morris’s (10st exactly) legs to dip.

Though he stayed upright the shot had taken a lot of fire from Jay, who covered up to avoid Woodhouse’s 30-second follow-up blitz.  Indeed, Morris’s right hand proved an effective weapon in round two as he landed to the body and head of Woodhouse, 29.

With the fight poised at a round a piece, and with Morris’s minor scare behind him, the fight seemed set for take off in the third stanza only for Woodhouse to effectively end proceedings with a double jab and right hand that dropped Morris, 31, to the seat of his pants. 

The Isle of Wight-based boxer, who is trained by Ronnie Davies and had Graham Earl, Cornelius Carr and Tony Oakey rooting for him, beat the count but was rooted to the spot during Woodhouse’s follow up attack, leaving referee Howard Foster with no option but to stop the fight at the 0:39 second mark.

Curtis celebrated, Morris congratulated his vanquisher, and the crowd went bonkers.  Woodhouse rises to 12-1 (7 early); the fighter, who admitted to feeling fazed when David Haye visited his dressing room prior to the first Morris fight, is now set to share a bill with the big man.  Curtis won’t be starry-eyed this time around, though, and he was also quick to give Morris, now 11-15-1(3), credit.

“I am delighted, absolutely.  Winning my first title is a big thing.  When I first turned pro I was talking about winning the British title but if I’m honest I was talking out my arse at the time.  Now I’ve got a belt and to win it by beating the only guy to have beaten me is a big thing, especially to stop him,” Curtis enthused.

“All the ups and downs over the last three years, and there have been a few, have been worth it.  Just saying hearing you say that I’m a ‘champion’ gives me goose pimples.  I caught him early and I knew I had it; he gave me that look as if to say, ‘Should I go down’, and I knew it then and threw everything at him!  The finish was nice - it was beautiful,” he continued.

“Maximum respect to Jay Morris, we’ve had our banter but I like the guy and he got to his feet, I respect that.   I’m fighting Sebire next, a huge fight courtesy of Dave Coldwell, at the MEN Arena.  This kid is the French national champion and has already bitten me in sparring when we were over in Cyprus a year ago.  He hit with an uppercut, I fell into a clinch and he took a lump out off my chest!  So I know this will be a tasty fight!  He is getting knocked out!” declared the former Premiership footballer.

“I knew Jay would be strong at this weight.  I could feel his presence.  I worked off the ropes - that was part of the plan - and was spinning off with left hooks, as I knew the kid would be stronger than me.  It was my most satisfying win but I am not fighting nowhere near my true potential.  I am getting better and better in the gym.  I need that extra forty percent for guys like Lenny Daws, but I’m ready for those fights – let’s get it on!

“It was not all about revenge; it was about winning and getting this title.  Dave, where’s my title?  I was looking forward to strutting my stuff with that belt around my waist!  Someone go and get me a belt!” laughed Woodhouse.

“I was thinking, ‘Go down!’”, he explained when talking about the left hook to the body that hurt Morris in round one, “you know you’ve got them when they look at you and pull a face but he was tough.  I could hear Dave telling me to pick my shots but I was going for him.  I nearly shot my bolt but learned not to do that from the [Dean] Hickman fight and got in control of things.  I stepped around him and showed patience.  I think my connection rate was pretty high.

“Me and Dave are in the gym everyday.  I came into the game knowing nothing.  In this fight, we worked on defence, though I’ve got a black eye so I’m not sure what is going on with that!  Defence wins you fights - look at Floyd Mayweather - so I’m working on that side of things.  I’m just so happy and proud – I feel like crying!  Jay is a tough, tough and proud kid,” Curtis concluded.

Colwell packed out the place, over a thousand fans turned out for Curtis’s fight; Dave, however, was simply delighted to have guided Curtis to his first belt.  “As a promoter I’m really happy but as a trainer I’m even prouder,” revealed Coldwell.  “When Curtis turned over me, Ryan and Dan [Thorpe] were all texting one another and Thorpey was saying, ‘Get me a fight with him!’”

“Careful what you wish for Thorpey!” chimed Woodhouse.

“I think that where he is now shows how far he has come, he is not just a brawler anymore,” continued Coldwell.  “Fights like this show his progression, that is what it is about.  People slag him off on the Internet but how many amateur fights did he have?  He’s not shouting out this and that.  He wants to fight for, and win, a British title and there is nothing wrong with that.  The shot that did it was one that Curtis didn’t load up on or anything.”

Ryan Rhodes was on hand to give Woodhouse a few words of inspiration; the European light-middleweight champion believes that his friend and gym-mate can go onto bigger things.

“He has been fantastic in the gym for this one.  The first time they fought was the worst I’ve seen Curtis fight and the best Morris had fought.  I watched the fight and thought it could have gone either way.  You’ve now seen a totally better, totally confident, Curtis Woodhouse,” beamed Rhodes.

“He did the weight properly and is strong and fast at this weight.  A British title is possible, definitely.  Curtis has got determination, look what he left behind in football to achieve things in boxing – I take my hat off to him.  Curtis will win a British title either this year or next year.”

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