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Clinton Woods is a rare commodity in boxing these days. Not just British boxing, but boxing in general: a man who wants to fight the best, and do things the right way.
Regardless of his abilities (and, while often two-dimensional, Woods has constantly improved) he's taken a concerted rise through the ranks. The old fashioned way for a UK fighter to rise to the top is to go: British, Commonwealth, European, World Contendership. While many have leapfrogged the old-fashioned route (And Audley Harrison seems to be doing everything in his power to avoid it altogether), Woods insisted on going through the ranks correctly.
While he was derided by Larry Merchant as a "former heavy drinker", it's lesser known that Woods started boxing at the age of 11 and had over eighty amateur bouts by the time he was 16.
Here's the reason for my big up: When many British fighters are content to get lost in alphabet soup (While Hatton has recently accredited himself, for years he was dining out on the WBU belt) Clinton insisted on facing the best in his division.
Naturally, we all know what happened that night... Woods, a 7/10 fighter (though he was virtually flawless last time out against Rico Hoye and with a new dietician) was made to look mediocre against a prime Roy Jones.
But the point is... Woods had the nuts to TRY. He could have hid out, won himself a belt, strode into the ring proudly adorned with the WBF, the WBU, the ABC and the XYZ. Instead he insisted on tackling Roy.
Since then he's actually proved to have been a valid top fiver in the division, despite the IBF belt he wears being vacated by old foe Glen Johnson. His two bouts with Johnson were a draw (seen as controversial, but I thought he nicked the draw fairly) and a points loss ("I fought crap".) So he's fought 24 rounds with Glen Johnson, a mon who was never the best, but who was willing to fight the best. Johnson would move on from going the distance twice with Woods to sparking out an older Roy Jones.
Back to Jones again. He was Woods's original choice for his first defence, which isn't anywhere near as demanding as it was three years ago, but still shows the balls to go in with a man who had stopped him in six.
Instead, Woods has accepted a challenge from Julio Gonzalez. A tough Mexican, he took the (controversial) points win over Glen Johnson that Woods could never manage and lasted the distance with Roy Jones. Not only that, but he was the man to end the unbeaten 48 record run of Dariusz Michalczewski. The guy's no soft touch, and Woods could have turned it down for an easy payday. He didn't.
Okay, I've rambled on like I normally do, but I expect a good fight tonight. Woods seems a likeable guy (maybe too nice to be a boxer), but whatever happens tonight, I'll say this: Clinton has always been ready to face anyone, anywhere. Say what you like about the guy, he's got a pair of balls. And in this age of boxing, that's something to be savoured.
Regardless of his abilities (and, while often two-dimensional, Woods has constantly improved) he's taken a concerted rise through the ranks. The old fashioned way for a UK fighter to rise to the top is to go: British, Commonwealth, European, World Contendership. While many have leapfrogged the old-fashioned route (And Audley Harrison seems to be doing everything in his power to avoid it altogether), Woods insisted on going through the ranks correctly.
While he was derided by Larry Merchant as a "former heavy drinker", it's lesser known that Woods started boxing at the age of 11 and had over eighty amateur bouts by the time he was 16.
Here's the reason for my big up: When many British fighters are content to get lost in alphabet soup (While Hatton has recently accredited himself, for years he was dining out on the WBU belt) Clinton insisted on facing the best in his division.
Naturally, we all know what happened that night... Woods, a 7/10 fighter (though he was virtually flawless last time out against Rico Hoye and with a new dietician) was made to look mediocre against a prime Roy Jones.
But the point is... Woods had the nuts to TRY. He could have hid out, won himself a belt, strode into the ring proudly adorned with the WBF, the WBU, the ABC and the XYZ. Instead he insisted on tackling Roy.
Since then he's actually proved to have been a valid top fiver in the division, despite the IBF belt he wears being vacated by old foe Glen Johnson. His two bouts with Johnson were a draw (seen as controversial, but I thought he nicked the draw fairly) and a points loss ("I fought crap".) So he's fought 24 rounds with Glen Johnson, a mon who was never the best, but who was willing to fight the best. Johnson would move on from going the distance twice with Woods to sparking out an older Roy Jones.
Back to Jones again. He was Woods's original choice for his first defence, which isn't anywhere near as demanding as it was three years ago, but still shows the balls to go in with a man who had stopped him in six.
Instead, Woods has accepted a challenge from Julio Gonzalez. A tough Mexican, he took the (controversial) points win over Glen Johnson that Woods could never manage and lasted the distance with Roy Jones. Not only that, but he was the man to end the unbeaten 48 record run of Dariusz Michalczewski. The guy's no soft touch, and Woods could have turned it down for an easy payday. He didn't.
Okay, I've rambled on like I normally do, but I expect a good fight tonight. Woods seems a likeable guy (maybe too nice to be a boxer), but whatever happens tonight, I'll say this: Clinton has always been ready to face anyone, anywhere. Say what you like about the guy, he's got a pair of balls. And in this age of boxing, that's something to be savoured.
to your mom..
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