29.09.07 – By Barry Green: Sheffield’s Clinton Woods made his fourth successful defence of the IBF light-heavyweight title with a deserved unanimous decision over Mexican Julio Cesar Gonzalez in the Hallam FM Arena tonight in a cracking contest that ebbed and flowed until the very end, with Woods very nearly stopping his man in the 11th round.
After a very even contest that saw both men score heavily, Woods with the superior jab, Gonzalez with a sustained body attack, Woods drove his Latin counterpart around the ring with a barrage of punches that had Gonzalez holding on for dear life, as the Yorkshirman looked to put this victory beyond doubt with a stoppage victory. Only Mexican’s unreal heart and a granite chin kept him standing at the final bell.
It is the second time in two years that Woods has defeated Gonzalez in as many years and the bout turned to be a much closer than their first encounter two years ago. In fact, this was a real contender for Fight of the Year.
From the outset, the champion worked off a spear-like jab, looking to dominate with his most potent weapon and succeeded in putting the first two rounds in the bag. Buoyed on by a great atmosphere at the arena, brass band inlcuded, Woods’ best work all came off the jab, the most damaging being a short uppercut and a chopping right hand in the 2nd round.
Gonzalez finally got going in the 3rd, which he bullied Woods to the ropes and scored heavily to the body. He repeated this in round four as he evened up the contest.
The fifth stanza was the best of the fight, both fighters going toe-to-toe and blasting away. A difficult round to score but, for me, Gonzalez edged it with his superior volume of punches.
Woods won the next by landing the harder, cleaner shots and at the round’s end Gonzalez looked like he was breathing very heavily.
It was from then on that Woods regained control of the ring centre and boxed superbly to offset any charges that the Mexican attempted. However, in the 8th, Clinton once again allowed the challenger to force him into the ropes and bang away.
Woods resumed control from there on in and had Gonzalez in queer street in the 11th round and the challenger was a spent force, only his concrete-like jaw kept him aloft and he displayed heart and courage beyond the call of duty. But this 10-8 round for the Englishman gave him a clear lead going into the final round.
Entering the 12th,Gonzalez knew he needed a KO to win, and with Dave Parris looking at a deep cut above his eye, it seemed that it would may be stopped before he could try. The ringside doctor allowed the action to resume but neither man had much left and the fight ended with a warm embrace that showed the appreciation of two warriors that had given their all.
After this it looks like Woods would like to take on the winner of the Roy Jones-Felix Trinidad fight. Jones owns a win over Woods, which he did with ease in 2002. Woods’ ring entrance was to the classic Going Underground by The Jam. It seems that Woods has been fighting ‘underground’ due to the lack of publicity this fight received. Hopefully, now is that time for the Sheffield man to make one last attempt to make the big time.
It was the Sheffield man’s first fight since his controversial duke over Glen Johnson last year, and his record increased to 41-3-1, while Gonzalez fell to 41-4. The final tally of the judges’ cards, all from the US , showed Woods winning by margins of 117-111; 115-113; 116-112. ESB scored the fight for Woods 115-112.
Also on the bill, Mark Hobson, once again, stopped old rival John “Buster” Keaton in the fourth round, as he annexed the British Cruiserweight Title away from the hometown fighter.
Keaton ploughed into Hobson from the opening bell, doing his best Vito Antuorfermo impression, unloading body shots and uppercuts from phone-booth range. But ‘Buster’ soon found that Hobson was the general as the former WBU champ navigated his way off the ropes to take command of the fight from the third round onwards, establishing the jab and landing at will.
The fourth proved to be the end as Hobson floored his rival and the referee saw fit to end matters before any lasting damage was done to the outclassed Keaton. Hobson had previously climbed off the floor to shock Keaton in the 4th round of a barnburner last year but found it much easier second time around.
Hobson seeks a rematch with WBO diadem holder Enzo Macarennelli, who finished him in one round back in October, while Buster really should call it a career after another stoppage defeat.