Clinton Woods v Antonio Tarver: Tampa, Florida, Sunday 13 April
Coverage: BBC Radio 5 Live from approx. 0230 BST
By Ben Dirs
What was already a huge fight for Clinton Woods on Saturday took on added importance earlier this week with the news that victory over Antonio Tarver could lead to a domestic showdown with Joe Calzaghe in the autumn.
The 35-year-old Woods won his IBF light-heavyweight title in 2005 but the unassuming Sheffield fighter, who holidays on the Yorkshire coast and describes Skegness as the most beautiful place in the world, has been happy to remain in the wings while Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton hog the headlines. Until now.
"This is the fight I've been waiting for," Woods told BBC Sport. "If I can get past Tarver I'll be into the super-fights.
"He's the toughest I've faced, he's a bit unique and he's achieved a lot more in boxing than me"
"It's the biggest fight of my career. When I fought Roy Jones [Woods suffered a six-round stoppage in 2002], I didn't come with a title. This time I'm defending my own title, and other than my kids and my wife, it's the most precious thing I've got."
Tarver, a former undisputed champion at 175lb, is four years Woods' senior and the suspicion is that he is not the fighter who defeated Jones twice, many believe three times, between 2003 and 2005.
Brash in the extreme, he took time out from the ring to star opposite Sylvester Stallone in the film Rocky Balboa before tasting defeat at the hands of Bernard Hopkins in 2006.
Tarver puts that defeat down to losing weight too quickly, but two wins over journeyman pros in his last two fights have done nothing to appease those who believe his best days are behind him.
That said, Tarver will be on home soil at the St Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida, and Woods is assuming "The Magic Man" will be exactly that come fight time.
"Everybody's telling me about the Hopkins fight, but in his last two fights he's looked fresh," says Woods. "He looked back to himself, I think he's back to his best.
"He's definitely the toughest I've faced, he's a bit unique and he's achieved a lot more in boxing than me. But I'm the champion, and I'm so hungry to win it."
Tarver is big enough to admit Woods has improved since being dismantled by Jones in Portland, Oregon five years ago, a transformation Woods puts down to a more professional approach in and out of the ring.
"When I fought Jones, I wasn't doing the proper training, I wasn't eating the proper food," says Woods, who goes into the fight with a professional record of 41 wins, three defeats and a draw.
"But now I've got the right people around me. I've got a nutritionist, which I never had before, and they're guarding my food and watching my weight.
"I've got the proper people to look after me and I'm a stronger, fitter fighter as a result."
606: DEBATE
Should Woods get past Tarver and Calzaghe defeat Hopkins in Las Vegas on 19 April, a match against the Welshman at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium would be a fitting, and very lucrative, swansong for both fighters.
"I'm convinced I'm going to beat Tarver and I think Joe will be too fresh for Hopkins, so it should happen," says Woods.
"But it is not a thought that drives me on, I have got to concentrate on beating Tarver before I even think about Calzaghe.
"I've been a professional for 14 years but I'm hungrier now than I've ever been and I just want to get as much dough as I can in the bank and keep hold of that title.
"I just hope there's plenty of Yorkshire people going out there to watch me because it will be a fantastic night."
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