SHEFFIELD, England, 8 February 2004 — Three months after he was denied victory by a drawn decision, American-based Jamaican Glencoffe Johnson on Friday captured the IBF light-heavyweight title with a unanimous decision over Clinton Woods.
Chasing a title declared vacant by Roy Jones Jr., 35-year-old Johnson was close to flooring the Englishman in round two with a big right hand to the head before he followed up with two left hooks to the body.
Although he remained in control of the fight at the Ponds Hall International Arena, Johnson was unable to finish the contest inside the distance but won the fight 115-113, 115-113 and 116-112 on the judges’ scorecards.
Johnson was furious that he didn’t win the contest first time when the two fighters met for the vacant title in the same city — Woods’ home town — in November.
But he returned to complete the job.
Woods, who lost in seven rounds to Jones in September 2002, used the jab well to get on top in the first round but was stunned by Johnson’s firepower in the second.
Johnson’s accurate and damaging right hands produced a swelling beneath Woods’ left eye in the fourth and he stayed in control during the middle of the fight with little threat from the British fighter.
Although Woods came up with a big finish, he didn’t do enough to get Johnson in trouble and there was no real sign that the fight was drifting toward the local man.
