Steed bags big bout with ex world champ

Woodall and Counihan celebrate victory in Poland

BIRMINGHAM super-middle Steed Woodall and his team have rolled the dice and gained a massive fight, a potentially life-changing fight.

But with big rewards come big risks – and the risks don’t come much bigger than heavy hitting Padraig “Pat” McCrory, winner of all 17 contests – nine by stoppage -  and former holder of the IBO version of the world-light-heavyweight title. The 35-year-old never lost that belt, giving it up to compete at 12 stone.

What’s more, Steed takes on the Irishman in his own backyard of Belfast on August 4 in a bout that offers the winner a lot more than the international title that’s at stake.

The WBA has McCrory third in the world super-middle rankings. Victory should see 29-year-old Steed gain a top five place and within touching distance of a world title fight.

That is how big this fight is.

Paul “Soggy” Counihan, who has trained Steed since the former star amateur was 12, said: “It’s a massive, massive fight. We have to win this fight – and if we win this fight it’s life-changing.”

This, Soggy stressed, is the year gambles have to be made after Woodall’s career appeared in danger of stagnating, even slipping away.

The first gamble of 2023 took place two months ago in the unlikely setting of  Rzeszow, Poland, where Steed widely outpointed big punching Scot Boris Crighton over eight rounds. That was his first competitive action for nine months. All three judges scored 77-75 for Woodall.

Prior to that, Eastside’s former five times national amateur champ and world youth quarter-finalist had seen only one round of competitive action since October, 2021.

His paid career has been a study in frustration. A promotional deal with Frank Warren didn’t work out and a broken foot further slowed progress.

Woodall actually “turned over” in America back in 2014 and made his mark. He lost only one of 17 – and that came against world class Steve Rolls in a bid for the North American title.

Since returning to Birmingham from the States, the pickings have been slim: one bout at Villa’s Holte Suite, another at Planet Ice, Solihull. A combined five rounds. His record currently stands at 18-1-1, with 11 early wins.

Now “The Stallion” has been handed a possible fast-track to glory. Both he and Soggy burn with confidence over the Belfast 10 rounder.

“We are up for it,” Counihan told me. “Steed will be the underdog at the bookies but he’s up for it, we’re up for it. I’m confident Steed will do a job on him.

“He has to be careful. McCrory can punch, he can handle big lads, but I think Steed knocks him out.  McCrory is unbeaten, he doesn’t know how to lose, he’s not going to give anything up easy. We have to take it away from him.

“I think Steed is better than him in every department. Steed is faster than him, he had a better amateur career than him, he probably hits harder than him. We’re going up and down the country for the very best sparring.”

Counihan admitted the time has come when Woodall has to make a statement. Easy wins against hand-picked opposition are no longer part of the equation.

He said: “His career has been stop-start. Earlier this year I said to him, ‘there’s no more messing around now, we are going to go for it this year’.

“The fight in Poland was all about getting the win, getting him back out there. It was an eight rounder and because he controlled the pace it was an easy eight rounder. We will know if the inactivity has had an effect when he’s been in a tough 10 rounder.”

Belfast represents a potentially very tough 10 rounder. The incentives, however, are huge.

Counihan added: “If he wins, he gets a top five title ranking. His next fight could be for a world title. He has to win.”

It looks like being an absolute belter.