Just seen this on the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/7362491.stm "Trainer Dennis Hobson believes that Clinton Woods may have been suffering from a strain of meningitis during his world title defeat to Antonio Tarver. " It might partly explain his incredibly flat performance, although I guess we'll have to wait for the blood test results to know for certain. Hobson should probably have waited for the results before speculating though.
The Woods that fought Roy Jones and the one that fought Tarver were completely different fighters. Whether that was because he didn't care, he had a virus, his friend had just died, he got a bit older... I don't like hearing excuses, he just didn't turn up for whatever reason.
Woods had no fire in him. Biting his gumshield and fighting was what was going to win him the bout. Without that he had nothign special to give.
I hope to catch him in the club house when he get's to his caravan this summer. He is alway's honest and truthful about himself. Still a shame he put in the performance he did but I doubt he is looking for an excuse. He got beat by the better fighter on the night.
At the end of the day he didn't make excuses and took his defeat well (yeah it wasn't a great performance, but I guess that happens): Respect.
poor clinton always seems to get struck down with something. he's like sicknote in london's burning. :yep
They didn't know about his friend's virus at that point. In fairness to Woods it is not him but his hired help who is stating this. I'm sure he would have known during the fight build up whether or not he was ill. He and his trainers would have known where his fitness level should have been at and would have seen a fall.
