NEWPORT boxer Craig Woodruff looks set to take on Tony Pace for the vacant Welsh lightweight title in February after beating former British super-featherweight champion Carl Johanneson in Manchester.
Woodruff, aged 20, upset Johanneson at Lancashire County Cricket Club, Old Trafford, tonight - taking the judge's verdict 59-57 over six rounds.
Steve Sims, Woodruff's trainer at Alway Boxing Club, said: "It’s a great result over Johanneson. Craig took the fight at very short notice but he's brave and he'll fight anyone.
"He did brilliantly and to win by two clear points against a much more experienced fighter, who fought for the IBF International title last time out, was a fantastic result. It puts him in the top 10 in Britain now"
Woodruff said: "It was a good win and it's great to bounce back from defeat against Mitchell Buckland in my last fight. It was short notice but I was confident and I'm very pleased to have got the win."
Sims is now planning to match Woodruff with Pace on his next show at the Newport Centre on February 23 or March 15.
Talbot Green fighter Pace beat Lance Sheehan to become British Masters champion in Sims' last show in Newport on December 1.
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