www.fightnews.com
June 4, 2006
IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods is happy that Joe Calzaghe's July 8 title fight with Glen Johnson is off. Woods is hopeful that he will get the chance to even the score with Johnson (the IBF's mandatory challenger), against whom he is 0-1-1.
"I want my win back off Johnson and prove that I'm a completely different fighter than I was two, three years ago," Woods said. "I don't fear anyone in the division and, the form I am in, I believe I will not only beat Johnson but I believe I'll get the better of any light heavyweight in the world."
"I was devastated when I thought Johnson were going to fight Calzaghe," Woods admitted. "But I don't know what Glen was thinking, agreeing to make 12stone (168lbs) and especially on such short notice. Johnson hasn't make super-middle in six years and if the Calzaghe fight had have gone ahead Johnson would barely have had the strength for a decent sparring session, much less a world title fight."
Woods also took the opportunity to draw attention to the differences between himself and Calzaghe. "Three times Calzaghe has been supposed to fight Johnson, and three times it's not happened," the IBF 175lbs (12stone 7lbs) king said. "I'm not saying Calzaghe is afraid of him but these things keep seem to happen with Calzaghe, don't they? I mean, Johnson was prepared to weaken himself in getting down to 12stone, what else does Calzaghe want?"
The Sheffield box-puncher also feels Calzaghe's March win over Jeff Lacy has been overplayed by the media. He said: "Joe Calzaghe is a very good fighter but Lacy was nothing special - I said all along Joe would beat him - and I think Lacy wasn't the puncher than I faced when I knocked out Rico Hoye (to win the IBF title in 2005).
"Look at the records, Rico Hoye has beaten just as good - if not better - opponents than Lacy had. I'm not saying Joe didn't do Britain proud against Lacy, it was a good win, but I feel me knocking out Hoye was just as good a result except the American television had pumped him up to be a new Mike Tyson.
"Now I hope the Johnson fight happens and that, when I win, I get full credit for it."
Dennis Hobson, of promoters Fight Academy, added: "For Clinton's sake I hope Johnson hasn't ruined his No.1 position with the IBF but agreeing to fight Calzaghe. I understand they felt had Calzaghe's people over a barrel, and could make huge demands because it was only five weeks before the fight date. But Calzaghe has pulled out on Johnson twice before. It struck me that they were a bit naïve in ignoring their pass experiences with Calzaghe.
"Now the IBF might feel that when Johnson agreed to fight Calzaghe, he forfeited his mandatory right to fight Clinton. But we are now talking to Team Johnson we hopefully, we can get the fight on and bring another world class American talent to these shores."
Hobson also took the chance to return fire on rival Frank Warren.
Hobson said: "Warren had the nerve to criticize us when we put on two world title shows on either side of the Atlantic on May 13, this during a month when Warren had TWO shows fall down around his ears. First he said he had no idea of Scott Harrison's well-publicised problems until the week of his fight in Belfast and now we have Calzaghe pulling out of a fight for the third time in a year.
"How many times has Calzaghe and Warren let the fans down now? With them two involved in a show, you get more pull-outs that a Catholic gangbang."
Hobson added: "I can only imagine what HBO must be thinking about this farce. Calzaghe's name was linked to Yusaf Mack, William Joppy, Sam Soliman, Edison Miranda, Anthony Mundine, Danny Green, Paul Briggs, Markus Beyer, Peter Manfredo, Librado Andrade, Mikkel Kessler and Allan Green - and Frank couldn't get a deal done with any of them before going to Johnson.
"What's hilarious is that Warren called Fight Academy 'amateurs' and said he'd show us how it is done. And he sure did, didn't he?
"Well, me and my partner Robert Waterman are quick learners so he's what we've come up with: I can announce right now that Clinton will be facing 7foot tall Russian Nikolay Valuev - if only Valuev makes 175lbs (12stone 7lbs) and fights for Clinton's light heavyweight title.
"Also, Ricky Hatton will fight IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko next… as long as Klitschko comes down to 10stone (140lbs). And maybe on the same card we'll have and Mike Tyson and/or George Foreman facing Femi Fehintola at super-feather!"
