Curtis Woodhouse has told Derry Mathews to ‘stand and fight’ when the fight for the Commonwealth Lightweight title at the sold-out Liverpool Olympia on Saturday night – and the hometown champion told the challenger he’ll do exactly that.
Mathews defends the belt for the first time after his stunning late knockout of Tommy Coyle in Hull in July, a bill that Woodhouse boxed at lightweight for the first time, with a third round stoppage of Joe Elfidh.
The former Sheffield United midfielder has 13 wins inside the distance from his 19 victories, and believes that the fight on Saturday will be the exciting all-action tear up the fight fans and pundits are predicting.
“My fight with Derry is exactly what it says on the tin,” said Woodhouse. “You can draw Derry into a fight, he’s a better boxer than me, but when I draw him into a fight, and when I do I’m going to switch his lights off.”
Mathews responded: “He won’t have to draw me into a fight, as I’m coming to fight you. I’m not moving from the centre of the ring – so we’ll see who’s the last-man standing.”
Woodhouse then had a message for fight fans: “If he’s going to stand there and fight, then get to your TV sets quick because this could end very early.”
Mathews defense against Woodhouse is one of two big Commonwealth crackers in Liverpool, with Rocky Fielding tackling Ghanaian Mohammed Akrong for the Super Middleweight title.
Liam Smith and Erick Ochieng clash for the vacant British Light Middleweight title, while the youngest Smith brother, Callum, faces Patrick Mendy for the vacant English Super Middleweight title, and Robbie Davies Jr., Ryan Aston and Peter Spencer are all in four-round action.
