World light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods has vowed to help gymmate and close friend Femi Fehintola follow in his footsteps and win a British Title.

Undefeated “Fire’ Fehintola, Bradford, 14-0 (1KO), challenges champion Carl Johanneson, Leeds, 24-2 (17KOs), at the Hillsborough Leisure Centre, Sheffield, on November 3.

Johanneson has more experience and is acknowledged as the bigger puncher, but Woods believes his Fight Academy stable mate’s quickness will be the decisive factor in a classic contest of speed v strength.

“It is a hard fight but Femi has a great chance,” Woods said. “If the Femi I see day-in, day-out in gym turns up on the night, he’ll win the British Title and - believe me - that’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
Of course, Woods himself is a former British Champion. In March 1999 he won the 12stone 7lbs belt by stopping Crawford Ashley and it is one the Man of Sheffield Steel’s few regrets that he never got the chance to win the title outright.

Woods and Fehintola are both trained by Richard Poxon, who has noted the emergence of the wryly prankster Fehintola in their Sheffield gym has had a fantastic affect on all the fighters there including Woods.
Woods said: “Femi is great to have in the gym. Training for weeks on end can be a bit repetitive but Femi’s usually got a cheeky joke or two. Plus, because he’s so cheeky, you never want him to outdo you in the gym - you just never hear the end of it. So he’s actually great for pushing you harder in the gym.”

Now Woods has vowed to return the favour and help “his friend capture the Lonsdale Belt on Bonfire night weekend.

The Light Heavyweight Champion said: “I’m gonna make sure Femi trains like never before. I’m doing his running with him, keeping him at a fast pace and I’ll also be there for him in the gym. He already knows what he has to do in training to win this one, but I’ll be there for him pushing him on even harder.”

Woods believes the fight will be a classic boxer v slugger match-up. “Femi has to be in and out with his shots because Johanneson is a good puncher and very strong. Femi will have to use his speed. Femi knows he has to be slick in the opening rounds, where Johanneson is at his best.”

However Woods believes his friend could dominate the bout once past the dangerous opening rounds.

He said: “I’ve noticed that Johanneson doesn’t keep up (his attacks) when things don’t go exactly his way. If Femi is still solid after five, six rounds I think he’ll take over and build up a points lead down the last few rounds. Femi’s not going to knock Johanneson about, so he’s gonna have to win this one on speed and fitness. But I think he could make Johanneson miss and maybe look a little silly at times.”

Sky Sports will carry live coverage of the fight which is co-promoted by Dennis Hobson’s Fight Academy and Frank Maloney’s Maloney Fight Factory.

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