An all-Welsh affair heats up as fight talks are exchanged ahead of the British lightweight title fight at Bolton University Stadium on Saturday 17th September, live on Channel 5 from 10am p.m
Anticipation on fight night continues to build for Newport’s Craig Woodruff (12-6, 4 KOs) as the stakes rise. Initially, the British lightweight title was the incentive offered to the 30-year-old, but now verbal exchanges have signaled that a real battle is brewing between the two Welshmen.
Reigning British lightweight champion Gavin Gwynne (15-2, 3 KOs) spoke about the strengths of his own arsenal and how these skills will help him get through the challenger’s test. Woodruff sees this as an opportune time to reclaim Gwynne’s scalp, earning both the British belt and verifying his claim as one of the best in the country.
“He clearly doesn’t respect me,” Woodruff said. “In every interview he talks about this defense like I’m not good enough to give him trouble. I am the reigning Celtic champion and the former unbeaten Welsh champion, so if you want to overlook me, you are in for a surprise and a very tough night.”
The fighter from Newport fully recognizes Gwynne as a genuine British champion. The respect for what she has accomplished is well documented, but the discovery of the comments made by the champion has now not only added more flavor to this encounter, but more irons in the fire of the current Celtic king.
“I don’t think Gavin understands that I was out of the ring for four years and still came back to go from 86th to top 10 in Britain,” Woodruff said. “I have respect for what Gavin has achieved. He is the champion and he deserves to have those belts, but it is obvious that he is looking past me and I am going to prove that I am a force to be reckoned with.”
No doubt he’s excited to show off his skills in his continued renaissance as he makes up for lost time after an altercation at a football game left him unable to box. As is the case with most natural fighters, the past builds character, but the future is the defining moment, and Woodruff now has the right team around him to make the future bright.
“Now I have the right people by my side. A dedicated training team with Luke Pearce, Johan Berendjy and Richie Garner, who also takes on the role of my manager,” said Woodruff. “I had two losses with them, one to Kieran Gething that was contested and one close to Gary Cully, who I almost stopped.”
Gwynne, also known as ‘The Merthyr Mexican’, described the competitors she has faced, detailing that Woodruff has not competed at a similar level. In this back-and-forth war of attrition, the Newport challenger is more than comfortable with his record and the opposition names that lie within it.
“My history is littered with big names: Martin Ward, Luke Campbell, Carl Johansen, Mitch Buckland. With the exception of Gwynne’s last four fights, add up her opponent’s records and you’ll find more losses than wins. Mine is the opposite.”
“I had to put up with hearing him talk about me being a backfighter, running from him,” Woodruff continued. “His work rate is not a concern when he’s backed up with slaps and gunshots.”
With a possible British classic title in the works for Channel 5’s live, free show, this has all the magic to conjure up a new name among the divide. It has been many decades since Newport has been able to boast a British title holder and while being a new name at lightweight is rare, it is bringing the belt home that drives Woodruff.
“It has been 40 years since the last man from Newport, David Pearce, won the Lonsdale belt. I will follow in his footsteps and bring that British title back to town with me,” Woodruff said.
“At the time the board made me mandatory to fight him, I don’t think he realized that Robert Smith could have also told him to hand over those belts right there. My team and I have sacrificed too much for me to go without them, wait and see.”
