Curtis Woodhouse is hoping to complete the journey from professional footballer to champion boxer when he fights for the English title tonight.
Woodhouse close to realising ambition in the boxing ring
Curtis Woodhouse is hoping to complete the journey from professional footballer to champion boxer when he fights for the English title tonight.
The 32-year-old Yorkshireman takes on Dave Ryan in Rotherham with a title on the line for the first time in the former Sheffield United's prodigy's career.
Woodhouse, who turned to a life in the squared circle after falling out of love with the 'beautiful game', has found the road to potential title glory a long and winding one.
Four losses scar the resume but on each previous occasion the all-action light-welterweight has come back stronger and wiser.
And that bodes well with Woodhouse coming off a brutal stoppage loss to Derby's Dale Miles in June that saw him knocked out cold inside five rounds.
Yet the gunslinger's stock continues to rise and Friday's clash is once again set to pack the Magna Centre to the rafters.
"I wanted to get a proper fight for him," said promoter and manager Dave Coldwell. "He had a setback the last fight but there's no point getting him in with a journeyman that doesn't do anything for his standing or his ranking.
"There's no point doing that, it would just waste six months. We all knew the last fight was 50-50 but I think it has lifted Curtis and made people realise that he is a real fighter. It's not really done him any damage."
Turning point
Woodhouse was put up against hot Midlands prospect Frankie Gavin last summer and only lost on a split decision, a fight that Coldwell believes was a turning point.
"Twelve hard rounds against a world class prospect answered a lot of demons for him, and he thought 'you know what, I can handle this kid, maybe I'm not so bad after all'," he said.
"Confidence-wise that sent him through the ceiling."
Coldwell has masterminded Woodhouse's rise up the domestic ladder and he believes victory over Ryan will justify beyond doubt his decision to swap the boots for gloves.
"He's gone from football to boxing and now this is his first major title fight -it's a big step and a big achievement and if he wins he's proved all the doubters wrong," added Coldwell, himself a former central area champion. "He can retire knowing he was a champion of the ring.
"I'm very proud of Curtis. We believe in him and he deserves a break. He gave his all (last time) in a fight that everybody enjoyed so he deserves another shot at the big time."
Highlights of the fight can be seen on Ringside next Thursday.
