Clinton Woods

Biography

Clinton Woods, born on May 1, 1972, in Sheffield, England, is a retired British professional boxer who competed from 1994 to 2009. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and reaching 76 inches, Woods fought in the light heavyweight division with an orthodox stance.

Woods began his professional boxing career on November 17, 1994, securing a points victory over Dave Proctor at the Pinegrove Country Club in Sheffield. He achieved an impressive streak, winning his first 19 fights. His 19th bout, on December 6, 1997, saw him claim the vacant Commonwealth super middleweight title with a points win against Mark Baker at Wembley Arena. However, in his subsequent fight on March 28, 1998, he faced his first professional defeat, losing on points to David Starie in a defense of the Commonwealth title at the Ice Arena in Hull.

Transitioning to the light heavyweight division, Woods captured multiple titles. On March 13, 1999, he defeated Crawford Ashley by technical knockout in the eighth round at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester, securing the British, Commonwealth, and European light heavyweight titles.

Woods faced several world-class opponents throughout his career. Notably, on September 7, 2002, he challenged the legendary Roy Jones Jr. for the unified world light heavyweight titles at the Rose Garden in Portland but was stopped in the sixth round.

A significant chapter in Woods' career involved a trilogy with Glen Johnson. Their first encounter on November 7, 2003, at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre in Sheffield, ended in a split draw for the vacant IBF world light heavyweight title. In the rematch on February 6, 2004, at Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield, Woods lost by unanimous decision. Undeterred, he secured an eliminator victory against Jason DeLisle on October 24, 2004, earning another shot at the IBF title. On March 4, 2005, at the Magna Centre in Rotherham, Woods clinched the vacant IBF world light heavyweight title with a fifth-round technical knockout over Rico Hoye.

As champion, Woods successfully defended his title multiple times. He avenged his earlier draw by defeating Glen Johnson via split decision on September 2, 2006, at the Bolton Arena. Additionally, he secured unanimous decision victories over Julio César González, notably on September 9, 2005, at the Sheffield Arena, and again on September 29, 2007, at the same venue.

Woods' reign as IBF champion concluded on April 12, 2008, when he lost by unanimous decision to Antonio Tarver at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa. After a rebound victory against Elvir Muriqi on February 14, 2009, in an IBF eliminator, Woods challenged Tavoris Cloud for the vacant IBF world light heavyweight title on August 28, 2009, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood. He was defeated by a unanimous decision, marking the final fight of his professional career.

Over a 15-year career, Woods compiled a professional record of 42 wins (25 by knockout), 5 losses, and 1 draw.