Clinton Woods


Clinton Woods is a British former professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2009, and held the IBF light-heavyweight title from 2005 to 2008. At regional level he held the Commonwealth super-middleweight title from 1997 to 1998, the British light-heavyweight title from 1999 to 2000, and the European and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titles from 1999 to 2001.

Early life

Woods was born in Sheffield, England. Growing up in tough surroundings, he was involved in a life of drugs and crime before taking up boxing as a way out.

Career

Woods started his professional career with a points win over Dave Proctor in his home town of Sheffield. After compiling a record of 13–0 he stepped in with Craig Joseph and beat him over 10 rounds to win the Central Area super middleweight title. After a series of victories, Woods, with a record of 18–0, fought for the vacant Commonwealth belt against Mark Baker, who had a record of 20–1. Woods won the fight and claimed the belt with a 12 round points decision.
In his next fight the unbeaten Woods found himself opposite former British champion David Starie. The fight ended in a first defeat for Woods.
Woods bounced back from the Starie defeat by moving up a weight division to light heavyweight and winning his next two fights before landing a shot at fellow Yorkshireman and current holder of the British, Commonwealth and European light-heavyweight titles Crawford Ashley. Woods knocked out Ashley in the eighth round to capture the three belts.
He ended up defending his Commonwealth and European titles twice each and adding the WBC International light-heavyweight title to his résumé. The latter victory being for a WBC strap, when Woods set himself up for an eliminator for the full WBC light heavyweight title. The fight took place in Sheffield, in September 2001. Woods beat the experienced Italian-Ugandan Yawe Davis in a unanimous decision that would allow him to attempt a world title.

World title fights

Clinton travelled to the United States for his big chance in September 2002. He stepped into the ring at the Rose Garden in Oregon to oppose Roy Jones, with the WBC, WBA, and IBF titles on the line. Woods lost after being stopped in the sixth round and later said that he wasn't really ready for a fight of that magnitude.
Woods rebuilt from the defeat by Jones with three straight wins and then found himself in the ring with Glen Johnson. His second world title attempt was for the IBF belt and took place in November 2003 at Sheffield's Hillsborough Leisure Centre and the fight ended in a draw. Three months later in February 2004 the two met once again in Sheffield this time at the Ponds Forge Centre, the result this time going Johnson's way after 12 rounds.

IBF champion

In his next fight Woods found himself in an IBF title eliminator. Eight months after his defeat to Johnson, Woods took on the Australian Jason DeLisle at the Octagon Centre in Sheffield. He won the fight despite being put down in the first round and set himself up for world title fight number 4. The title was vacant again and this time Woods found himself in the ring with undefeated American Rico Hoye. The fight took place in Rotherham and ended with Woods winning on a technical knockout when the referee stopped the fight in the fifth round.
In September 2005 at the Hallam FM Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, Woods defeated mandatory challenger and former WBO and Lineal champion Julio César González via a clear unanimous decision. A successful voluntary defence against DeLisle followed, before Woods fought Jamaican Glen Johnson for a third time. In the ninth round Woods sustained heavy punishment to the head at the hands of Johnson, but fought back to win the subsequent rounds. The American judge, Richard Bays scored the fight 115–112 in favour of Woods, Mickey Vann scored the contest 115–113 in favour of Johnson and Roberto Ramírez 116–112 scored in favour of Woods. It was a split decision but Woods had defeated the man who beat him in 2004.
In September 2007, Woods again successfully defended his IBF title against Julio César González with a unanimous decision.

Defeat and comeback

In April 2008 at St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida in the United States, Woods gave a lacklustre display against American Antonio Tarver and lost his IBF title. Tarver out-boxed the Sheffield man on the way to a comfortable points victory. Following the defeat, a dejected Woods hinted that he may quit the sport. A change of trainer followed, with Woods replacing Richard Poxon for Glyn Rhodes. The change seemed to have paid off when on 14 February 2009 Woods travelled to the Channel Island of Jersey to defeat Kosovar-Albanian fighter Elvir Muriqi in an eliminator match for his old IBF title.

Retirement

In August 2009, Woods once more fought on the world stage when he again travelled to Florida, to challenge Tavoris Cloud for the then-vacant IBF title. Woods went on to lose a 12-round decision. When asked about retirement after the defeat, Woods said "To be honest, the thought of that upsets me more than losing the world title, retiring from the sport I love".
However, Woods announced his retirement from boxing on 8 September 2009.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
48Loss42–5–1 Tavoris CloudUD1228 Aug 2009 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, Florida, USFor vacant IBF light-heavyweight title
47Win42–4–1 Elvir MuriqiUD1214 Feb 2009 Hotel de France, Jersey, Channel Islands
46Loss41–4–1 Antonio TarverUD1212 Apr 2008 St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Florida, USLost IBF light-heavyweight title;
For IBO light-heavyweight title
45Win41–3–1 Julio César GonzálezUD1229 Sep 2007 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, EnglandRetained IBF light-heavyweight title
44Win40–3–1 Glen Johnson122 Sep 2006 Bolton Arena, Bolton, EnglandRetained IBF light-heavyweight title
43Win39–3–1 Jason DeLisleTKO6 13 May 2006 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, EnglandRetained IBF light-heavyweight title
42Win38–3–1 Julio César GonzálezUD129 Sep 2005 Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, EnglandRetained IBF light-heavyweight title
41Win37–3–1 Rico HoyeTKO5, 2:594 Mar 2005 Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham, EnglandWon vacant IBF light-heavyweight title
40Win36–3–1 Jason DeLisleTKO12, 1:5024 Oct 2004 Octagon Centre, Sheffield, England
39Loss35–3–1 Glen JohnsonUD126 Feb 2004 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, EnglandFor vacant IBF light-heavyweight title
38Draw35–2–1 Glen Johnson127 Nov 2003 Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield, EnglandFor vacant IBF light-heavyweight title
37Win35–2 Demetrius JenkinsTKO7, 2:2610 Jun 2003 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England
36Win34–2 Arturo RiveraTKO2, 0:4918 Mar 2003 Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading, England
35Win33–2 Sergio Martin BeazTKO3, 1:4024 Jan 2003 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England
34Loss32–2 Roy Jones Jr.TKO6 7 Sep 2002 Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon, USFor WBA, WBC, IBF, IBO, IBA, WBF, and The Ring light-heavyweight titles
33Win32–1 Clint JohnsonTKO316 Mar 2002 York Hall, London, England
32Win31–1 Yawe DavisUD1213 Sep 2001 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, England
31Win30–1 Paul BonsonPTS627 Jul 2001 Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield, England
30Win29–1 Ali ForbesRTD10, 3:0024 Mar 2001 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, EnglandWon vacant WBC International light-heavyweight title
29Win28–1 Greg Scott BriggsTKO3 15 Jul 2000 London Arena, London, England
28Win27–1 Ole KlemetsenTKO9 29 Apr 2000 Wembley Arena, London, EnglandRetained European light-heavyweight title
27Win26–1 Juan Nelongo1212 Feb 2000 Ponds Forge, Sheffield, EnglandRetained European light-heavyweight title
26Win25–1 Terry FordTKO410 Dec 1999 Warsaw, Poland
25Win24–1 John Lennox Lewis10, 2:2911 Sep 1999 Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield, EnglandRetained Commonwealth light-heavyweight title
24Win23–1 Sam LeuiiTKO6, 2:3710 Jul 1999 Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, London, EnglandRetained Commonwealth light-heavyweight title
23Win22–1 Crawford AshleyTKO8, 1:3813 Mar 1999 Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester, EnglandWon European, British, and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titles
22Win21–1 Mark SmallwoodTKO7, 2:1930 Nov 1998 Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester, England
21Win20–1 Peter Mason4, 3:0018 Jun 1998 Grosvenor House Hotel, Sheffield, England
20Loss19–1 David StariePTS1228 Mar 1998 Hull Arena, Hull, EnglandLost Commonwealth super-middleweight title
19Win19–0 Mark BakerPTS126 Dec 1997 Wembley Arena, London, EnglandWon vacant Commonwealth super-middleweight title
18Win18–0 Jeff FinlaysonPTS826 Nov 1997 Grosvenor House Hotel, Sheffield, England
17Win17–0 Danny JumaPTS825 Oct 1997 Deeside Leisure Centre, Queensferry, Wales
16Win16–0 Darren AshtonPTS626 Jun 1997 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, England
15Win15–0 Darren LittlewoodTKO6, 1:4110 Apr 1997 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, EnglandRetained British Central Area super-middleweight title
14Win14–0 Steve ShelleyTKO2, 2:2420 Feb 1997 Leisure Centre, Mansfield, England
13Win13–0 Craig JosephPTS1014 Nov 1996 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, EnglandWon vacant British Central Area super-middleweight title
12Win12–0 Ernie LoveridgePTS613 Jun 1996 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, England
11Win11–0 John DuckworthPTS816 Mar 1996 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, England
10Win10–0 Chris WalkerTKO6 5 Feb 1996 Norfolk Gardens Hotel, Bradford, England
9Win9–0 Andy EwenTKO322 Nov 1995 Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield, England
8Win8–0 Phil BallTKO420 Oct 1995 Leisure Centre, Mansfield, England
7Win7–0 Paul MurrayPTS621 Sep 1995 Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield, England
6Win6–0 Kevin BurtonTKO6, 1:0216 Jun 1995 Variety Club, Batley, England
5Win5–0 Kevin BurtonPTS616 May 1995 Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes, England
4Win4–0 Japhet HansTKO3, 1:596 Apr 1995 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, England
3Win3–0 Paul ClarksonTKO123 Feb 1995 Quality Royal Hotel, Cottingham, England
2Win2–0 Earl Ling5 12 Dec 1994 Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes, England
1Win1–0 Dave Proctor617 Nov 1994 Pinegrove Country Club, Sheffield, England