Woodhouse gets Downing test by Tom Podmore Jun 9th 2008

Footballer-turned-boxer Curtis Woodhouse is set to meet southpaw opposition when he steps between the ropes for the seventh time next week (June 21). The hard-hitting Driffield welterweight is pencilled in to fight West Bromwich crowdpleaser Wayne Downing in a four-rounder on the undercard of Amir Khan's Commonwealth title defence against shopworn Michael Gomez, Manchester, at the impressive surroundings of Birmingham's National Indoor Arena (NIA). Woodhouse is, of course, no stranger to the area. He played 48 times (scoring twice) for the Second City's second team, Birmingham City, after completing a high-profile £1 million move from Sheffield United in early 2001. Although the former England under-21 international left St Andrews in 2003, moving south to Peterborough United, he was still a favourite amongst the Birmingham faithful. I doubt it crossed the undefeated Yorkshireman's mind that one day he'd be boxing in the Second City. In Downing, four wins in nine (five defeats, none inside), the Dave Coldwell-trained fighter meets an aggressive and willing portsider who's improved with the more professional experience he's had. The 28-year-old has been halted on three occasions but two were early in his career (down to tiredness more than anything) and the most recent, a three-round stoppage at the fists of Nottingham's Dennis Corpe last July, was controversial. His last outing saw him outscore Brierley Hill's former 100-fight amateur champ Martin Gordon over four. The Black Country pair had met a year earlier (Wayne winning over six after being cut, Stoke, 2006), but showed marked improvements – working behind his right lead and making his opponent hang on with clubbing southpaw lefts – to better the result in Walsall. Not bad for a former 49-bout kickboxer who only had eight unpaid outings. But 28-year-old Woodhouse, 6-0 (3), has put away his last three opponents inside the distance (all inside three rounds) and will be confident of win seven. That pre-fight confidence will also be reinforced by the fact he's outpointed a man, durable Pontefract centurion Peter Dunn, who the Midlander lost to over four rounds on his paid bow in 2006 (albeit a result that has subsequently been reversed). Still, the hard-working Errol Johnson-trained local scrapper, who spars with the likes of Marcus Portman and former British welterweight boss Young Mutley, both from West Bromwich, said: “I want to thank my supporters by winning them a title. I have been promised a Midland Area light-middleweight title shot if I win and that is a big incentive for me. “I fancy my chances,” added the popular West Bromwich Albion supporter.

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