Keith Holmes vs Richie Woodhall

Twenty-eight seconds remained when Richie Woodhall’s first attempt to win a world championship came to an end. At the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on 19 October 1996, Keith Holmes stopped the previously unbeaten Englishman in the twelfth and final round to retain the World Boxing Council middleweight title. Woodhall had risen from a knockdown, but the champion’s follow-up punches left referee Arthur Mercante no reason to let him continue. The official time was two minutes 32 seconds.

Holmes, a southpaw from Washington, was making his first defence after taking the championship from Quincy Taylor in March. Woodhall arrived with an unbeaten professional record and the Commonwealth and European middleweight titles behind him. The bill also featured William Joppy’s defence of the World Boxing Association middleweight championship against Ray McElroy. An announced crowd of 4,238 watched the two local champions retain their belts, though Holmes made considerably harder work of it.

Woodhall’s awkward movement and measured approach kept Holmes from finding an easy route in during the opening rounds. The champion was cautious, while Woodhall used his height and position to hold him off. Neither man set a sustained pace. Holmes had the stronger punch and the advantage of fighting near home, but for much of the contest he did not press those advantages with conviction. Woodhall was able to make him wait, although he did too little himself to put the scoring beyond doubt.

The challenger’s difficulty became more apparent late in the fight. Woodhall later said that by the tenth round he was struggling with fatigue and feared Holmes would catch him if the champion increased the pace. He had not fought since January, and the long absence told as the rounds accumulated. Holmes, for his part, did not want to leave the result to the judges. He came out more forcefully for the last round and landed a short left to Woodhall’s head, putting him down for the first time in his professional career.

Woodhall beat the count at nine, but he had little strength left with which to defend himself. Holmes followed with a series of punches to the head, and Mercante stopped the bout with less than half a minute remaining. It was a late finish rather than a rescue on the scorecards: Ken Morita had Holmes ahead 108–102, José Juan Guerra 107–103, and Ángel Luis Guzmán 107–102 when the fight ended. Woodhall’s manager, Mickey Duff, disputed the scoring, but Woodhall accepted the stoppage, saying Holmes had recognised his opening and that he had been unable to protect himself. The defeat was Woodhall’s first in 22 professional contests; Holmes retained his title by finding his most decisive work when the last bell was close.

I reckon Richie Woodhall gave Keith Holmes a more awkward fight than the ending suggests. Woodhall had won Commonwealth and European honours and arrived unbeaten, but this was his first world title shot, away from home and after a long spell out of the ring. Holmes had taken the belt from Quincy Taylor earlier that year. Neither man came in looking like someone who needed a lesson in patience.

Woodhall used his height and awkward rhythm to keep the southpaw champion from settling. Holmes spent too long waiting for the opening. That made it a difficult watch at times, but I wouldn’t criticise Woodhall for making a dangerous puncher hesitant. My criticism is that he didn’t do enough with the space he created. A jab that holds a man off has to set up the next punch.

By the later rounds, Woodhall’s legs were going, and Holmes finally raised the pace. His short left put Woodhall down in the last round; once Woodhall got up, Holmes finished the job. I thought the stoppage was right. Woodhall could stand, but he could no longer defend himself properly. Holmes earned the win, though he left it much later than he should have.