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On Saturday night, Sheffield Boxer Clinton Woods, put his IBF Light Heavyweight title at risk against ‘Magic Man’ Antonio Tarver in Tampa, Florida. Unfortunately for Woods, Tarver was indeed ‘Magic’ and Woods – having struggled to settle in to the fight from the first bell – lost his title after 12 rounds of passion-less boxing.
The slow start to the contest continued throughout. Woods realised that Tarver did not like the body-shots, so he tries to concentrate on them but the action was lacking. In the closing seconds of round three, the travelling British fans cheered as Woods strikes a straight left to the face of Tarver, who tilts off balance.
A couple of left jabs rock back the head of Woods mid-way through round four and, finding it difficult to settle in, he switches from southpaw to orthodox.
Throughout the fight, Tarver used a variety of shots but his most notable was the uppercut.
Mid-way through the contest and Woods’s nose is bloody. The lack of action saw the crowds booing at times and Team Woods implored their man to ‘go for it’.
As he comes out for round ten, Woods’ mouth looks painfully swollen.
But perhaps the biggest action of the night was mid-way through round eleven. Tarver landed a big left straight punch to the face of Woods, who takes it well and seconds later the Sheffield man waves his arms aloft as if to say “that didn’t hurt”. Now Woods – spurred on by the punch – goes after Tarver.
In the twelfth and final round, Tarver goes for it – and sadly, Woods doesn’t !
Tarver wins by unanimous decision 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109 and becomes the IBF and IBO Light Heavyweight Champion.
