I'm sorry, I know Clinton Woods seems like a nice guy but I thought his performance on Saturday night was pathetic. He was plodding, pedestrian and one dimensional and made a shot Antonio Tarver look good. It was so strange - there seemed to be no fire there, no passion, no will to win. Was he scared of Tarver, intimidated by all the trash talk and by fighting on his opponents home turf? The only time we saw a glimpse of the 'real' Clinton Woods was in the 11th round when Tarver nailed him with his best shot and Woods exploded (briefly) in to action. That was the Clinton Woods that gave Roy Jones an argument, battled Glen Johnson over 36 tough rounds and battered Julio Cesar Gonzalez in his last fight. It was so frustrating because I really felt like Tarver was there for the taking if Clinton had just showed up and applied pressure. I kept waiting for him to show some urgency...............but nothing. Clinton was supposed to be a champion with a potential money spinning home bout with Calzaghe on the line but he fought like a BUM. He embarrassed himself, Sheffield and Britain. What the f*&K happened guys?
Something weird definatly went on, it was almost like watching Tarver against Hopkins but the other way around. It's like Woods didnt even try. I honestly thought he did better against RJJ than he did against Tarver.
his performance was poor but he by no means a disgrace. He could have made a decent living fighting top 20 guys holding out for Calzaghe, but he took a tough fight in Tarver and he wasn't up to it. I have never rated woods, but he is certainly not a disgrace.
maybe he was training at the side of the hotel swimming pool like robin reid was when he went over to tampa florida to fight jeff lacy
Was Woods not really close to the young boxer who died in a car accident a few week's ago Scott Brookes (i think), that may well have caused a bad performance.
I'm not going to use the word 'disgrace' because of the negative connatations towards a honest professional who has been a good ambassador for British boxing. On my viewing of the fight though Woods did not have the passion, desire or belief in this fight that he needed to have to win it. It was very strange. Did he freeze or did he suddenly realise that he no longer wanted to do what he was doing?
I think we're underrating Tarver. He's been poor lately which is easy to mistake for being shot in a fighter his age. But he IS a fine boxer who has fought and beaten the best of his era. He got dominated by the better man, not disgraceful.
Tarver was apparently gasping for air between some of the later rounds, and I definitely thought he looked uncomfortable some of the few times Woods applied pressure. Woods basically let him control the fight, and Tarver therefore was able to look better than he actually is at the moment. If Tarver - Dawson is next up, I'm convinced that Dawson will beat him despite his struggle with Johnson. Styles make fights and the hard as nails, in your face Johnson was always going to be tricky for Dawson. Johnson was able to block / parry a lot of Dawson's fast combos but I reckon he'll catch Tarver with some clean shots and finish him.
Yep - his loss to Jones was no disgrace. He gave Jones an argument (even marked up his face a little bit). And this was the fight before Jones moved up to beat Ruiz at heavyweight so he was still probably the best pound for pound fighter in the world at that time. It's like he was paid to lose against Tarver :huh
His performance WAS a disgrace. Woods has been an honest professional, good ambassador for British boxing and all round nice guy. But I think he needs to explain why he was so poor against Tarver. Woods is no Joe Calzaghe but he's a MUCH better fighter than he showed on Saturday. It was the worst performance I can remember seeing by a British fighter abroad. Robin Reid was crap against Lacy but he was facing a massive puncher and he was shot. Hatton was disappointing against Mayweather but he was fighting above his best weight division against the best pound for pound fighter in the world. And Reid and Hatton both looked like they were trying at least.
I really like Woods so it's hard for me to say it was a disgrace exactly but imagine how his fans who travelled over to the states must feel!
