British light heavyweight Clinton Woods has decided to call it quits on a 15-year career in boxing. Woods lost to Tavoris Cloud on August 28. (Photo via img.dailymail.co.uk)

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37-year old Clinton Woods of Sheffield, England, made official his expected retirement, ending a 15-year career in boxing that saw him become one of the most successful British fighters of his era.

Woods (42-5-1, 24 KO) started his career at super middleweight and won the Commonwealth title there, then moved up and become European champion at light heavyweigt. Eventually, he would win the IBF title.

He will be best remembered, unfortunately, for his 2002 manhandling at the fists of Roy Jones Jr., in what I personally consider to be "the last" of the true Roy Jones Jr. performances. Jones battered Woods for six rounds, but the steel-chinned Brit wouldn't back down. Woods' corner threw in the towel at 1:29 of the sixth, saving referee Jay Nady from having to make the call.

Woods will likely also be unfairly remembered for being 0-3 in the States, with losses to Jones, Antonio Tarver and Tavoris Cloud. Clinton never looked worse or more out of sorts than he did in the Tarver fight, and he hung in there with Cloud and stood up to a stronger, younger, faster and fresher fighter for 12 rounds, never ceasing attempts to get back into the fight. It just didn't happen.

But he had a fine run after the loss to Jones, proving himself to be a better and even tougher scrapper than most gave him credit for directly before and after the fight with Roy. As he was considered "just a regional fighter" by many before the Jones fight, and was then so dominated by the American champ, he never quite got the credit he deserved. He split a three-fight series (1 win, 1 loss, 1 draw) with Glen Johnson, beat Julio Cesar Gonzalez twice, took Rico Hoye's "0," and beyond just his record, he was a good representative for the sport and an all-around solid guy.

Happy retirement, Clinton.

"In my heyday I would have beaten Cloud, but I have no excuses and I think my love affair with boxing is over. I wouldn't have chosen to have gone out with a defeat, but I never took a beating.

"There have been more ups than downs over 15 years. Beating Crawford Ashley for  the European light-heavyweight title and winning the world title against Rico Hoye were the biggest highlights, along with beating Glen Johnson.

"It was good while it lasted and I am happy with what I achieved. I don’t know what I will do after boxing – I might go back to work as a plasterer because I can’t see myself sitting around at home."

Juan Urango (right) recovered from a sixth round knockdown to floor Randall Bailey three times and stop him in the 11th, retaining his IBF junior welterweight title. (Photo via a.espncdn.com)

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Juan Urango retained his IBF junior welterweight title and Tavoris Cloud won the vacant light heavyweight strap of the same sanctioning body in dominant performances on the season finale of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights.

Urango (22-1-2, 17 KO) was dropped on a signature right hand bomb from hard-punching veteran Randall Bailey in the sixth round, which instantly cut him under his right eye. For a moment, it appeared as though Urango may not recover, but he in fact did so very well. Bailey (39-7, 35 KO) also didn't show anything more than that right hand during the entire fight, which was eventually his utter doom.

Urango dropped Bailey twice in the ninth, and Bailey took a knee in the 10th. In the 11th, with Bailey clearly hanging on for dear life and on jelly legs, the challenger's corner stopped the fight. It was a merciful end.

In the other main event, Florida's Tavoris Cloud (20-0, 18 KO) battered Englishman Clinton Woods (42-5-1, 24 KO) for a full 12 rounds. Bad Left Hook had it 118-110 for Cloud, but with a couple of rounds that I also felt could have gone to Woods. The official scores were 116-112 across the board. Cloud showed great stamina, throwing 1,113 punches total and attacking viciously throughout the entire bout.

For the 37-year old Woods, it was perhaps a final brave performance. It was jaw-dropping at times that he did not hit the canvas, hanging on courageously and fighting off his back foot, trying to stand toe-to-toe with the younger, faster, stronger man. Woods said before the fight he would retire if he didn't win, and he just might. Chances may have run out for the veteran.

It was, overall, a fun night of fights in Florida, and hopefully ESPN2 can put together more cards of this caliber. There are a lot of good fights out there looking for a home.

Tonight's season finale of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights starts at 10pm ET. We'll have full, live, round-by-round coverage of the double main event and we'll be here for the entire show. Looking forward to this one. Join us!

via www.braggingrightscorner.com

Randall Bailey looks to take a 140-pound title from Juan "Iron Twin" Urango tonight in Florida. (Photo via www.diamondboxing.com)

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Randall Bailey out to claim fourth boxing title Friday -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
The former three-time world champion from Fort Lauderdale Contenders Gym will fight former sparring partner Juan Urango, of Cooper City (21-2-1, 16 KOs), for the IBF light-welterweight title Friday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Live Arena.

Storm cloud | The Sun
Sheffield boxer Clinton Woods has vowed to retire if he fails to beat Tavoris Cloud tonight. The Sheffield boxer hopes to end his Florida jinx and become the first Brit to win back the world light-heavyweight title.

FNF Providing Happy Ending Boxing Deserves - BoxingScene.com
The doubleheader on tap this Friday is as meaningful to the sport's present and future as any telecast on the Deuce in quite some time.

A dream becomes reality: Local boxer Tavoris Cloud fights for title tonight | Tallahassee Democrat
Tavoris Cloud, an undefeated light heavyweight, knows how to fight. He's been doing it his whole life.

Bailey looking to Repeat History -- MaxBoxing.com
"It’s going to feel great winning that title," Bailey said. "I’ve worked very hard in and out of the ring trying to get myself back in this position, so I’m looking forward for the bell to ring and the fight to start."

Cloud: "My Goal is to destroy my opponent by any means necessary" - MiamiHerald.com
"To tell the truth, I think [Woods is] tailor-made for me and we're going to give him a nice welcome," [Cloud] said. "I've studied tapes of him and he's a basic fighter. He doesn't do anything fancy or hard to figure out. He just keeps coming at you over and over."

Chat with Randall Bailey - ESPN
ESPN SportsNation's Chat with Randall Bailey.

Unbeaten Cloud ends sitting spell to take on former titleholder Woods - USATODAY.com
Sitting hasn't made Tavoris Cloud stale. It's made him hungrier.

Juan Urango and the rest of the stars of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights season finale are on weight for tomorrow night's card in Florida. (Photo via www.boxnews.com.ua)

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The weights are in for tomorrow night's ESPN2 Friday Night Fights season finale from the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida, and everyone is good.

IBF Junior Welterweight Title
Juan Urango 139
Randall Bailey 139 1/2

IBF Light Heavyweight Title
Clinton Woods 173 1/2
Tavoris Cloud 174

The Urango-Bailey fight promises fireworks, as Bailey is one of the hardest punchers out there still, Urango is a raging tank of a fighter, and Bailey also has a pretty weak chin. The light heavyweight bout could turn into a war. Clinton Woods says he's slower and might have to turn it into that sort of fight, and he's also going to have a big height advantage on Cloud, so that could get interesting. It's easily the biggest fight of Cloud's career.

Again, Bad Left Hook will have live, round-by-round coverage and scoring of both main events tomorrow night.

U.K. veteran Clinton Woods says he's slowing down a bit in the gym, and as a result is ready for a stand-and-trade war against Tavoris Cloud this Friday night. (Photo via static.guim.co.uk)

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As young, hungry and powerful Tavoris Cloud is ready to win his first title on Friday, his opponent Clinton Woods is ready for "a war." The two meet for the vacant IBF light heavyweight title at the Seminole Hard Rock in Florida on the season finale of Friday Night Fights.

[Woods] knows that at 37 his speed is not what it used to be - but expects his battle-hardened experience and supreme toughness will see him through.

The Sheffield light heavyweight will be world champion on Friday night if he disposes of the 10-years-younger, unbeaten American Tavoris Cloud.

The pair contest the IBF title in Hollywood, Florida.

Asked whether age has slowed him down, Woods told The Star: "When it comes to running I am doing faster, longer runs, my sprint is faster.

"When it comes to the boxing gym, yes, it is a little bit slower. When I am in the ring, I don't dance around the ring like I used to. Age does tire you out a little bit.

"So now my style is to stand and trade more. And I am comfortable doing that" says the Ridgeway rough-house.

We've discussed it a bit, but those counting the English veteran out of this fight may be getting ahead of themselves. He is by far the best and savviest opponent Cloud has faced, and the Florida-based KO artist will likely have to deal with a degree of ring rust, having sat out for about a year waiting for a title shot that never came from Chad Dawson. Dawson chose to vacate the IBF title in order to take a bigger money rematch with Glen Johnson on November 7.

Right now, I even think I'm leaning a bit toward Woods. I don't like Cloud's inactivity at all, and also have the feeling that as hungry as he is, he's going to get some looks from Woods he's just never seen before, and struggle when pressed by the former titleholder.

Tavoris Cloud is looking forward to his first title shot on Friday. He faces English veteran Clinton Woods as part of a great double main event on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. (Photo via www.cyberboxingzone.com)

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The season finale of ESPN2's Friday Night Fights is shaping up to be a good one, with two major title fights that have plenty of intrigue and good chances for knockout finishes.

The double main event in Hollywood, FL, at the Seminole Hard Rock will feature venue regular Juan Urango (21-2-1, 16 KO) defending his IBF junior welterweight title against hard-punching veteran Randall Bailey (39-6, 35 KO), as well as a vacant IBF light heavyweight title clash between rugged Englishman Clinton Woods (42-4-1, 24 KO) and another big puncher, young Tavoris Cloud (19-0, 18 KO).

Cloud says he's itching to go:

``Winning a world title will be a lifelong dream accomplished,'' Cloud said after a workout Saturday at Canino's Kickboxing and Boxing Gym in Dania Beach. ``I know this is a huge opportunity, and that's why I have worked out so hard for the fight.''

Cloud, 27, earned an IBF mandatory challenger ranking thanks to his 19-0 record and 18 knockouts. The sanctioning body's title became vacant after Chad Dawson renounced the belt and opted for a bout against Miami's Glen Johnson in November.

``I am not upset that Dawson decided not to fight me,'' Cloud said. ``Sooner or later I was going to fight for a title, whether it was Dawson or someone else.''

Woods has been among the top 10 light heavyweights the past eight years, including a three-year run as IBF champion.

``He might have the experience and more fights, but that won't mean anything when he gets in the ring,'' Cloud said. ``All Clinton Woods needs to do is show up, and I'll take care of the rest.''

Despite the fact that Cloud is from Florida, this will be his first fight in the state since his pro debut in 2004. He has operated mostly in the midwest, with his last 10 fights taking place in Illinois and the previous four in Indiana. The rest of his fights took place in North Carolina.

Cloud also hasn't fought in over a year, which I still say is one of the bigger problems he had in landing a fight with Dawson. He stayed inactive, didn't build a name at all, and sat on his mandatory ranking. If he's rusty at all, the crafty Woods could well take the "0" and deny him that title he wants.

We will have live, round-by-round coverage and scoring of FNF this week, as I'm quite looking forward to both of these fights.