A win at Stannington's Pinegrove Country Club would inspire Clinton Woods to Commonwealth, British, European and eventually IBF title glory

On Saturday it will be 30 years to the day since Clinton Woods won the title that launched him on the road to world championship greatness.

The Sheffield fighter landed the relatively-modest Central Area Super Middleweight title, a success that inspired him to win the Commonwealth, British, European and eventually the IBF title.

Three decades on, Woods cherishes the memory of that seminal 10-rounder against Bradford's Craig Joseph, which took place at Stannington's Pinegrove Country Club.

And he says it was a benchmark achievement, marking the start of a journey from humble beginnings to the IBF light heavyweight title.

"I didn't do any boxing after junior amateurs for six years and after 12 pro fights I had this tough fight against a good, skilled boxer. It felt like a world title night to me.

"It was a close fight, but I was confident that I had won it (98.5-97.5 was the score registered on the scorecard.)

"At the time, and even now, it felt like a massive night as I hadn't done any boxing between the ages of 11 to 16 and I was 24 when I won it.

"The title means a lot now, as far as I am concerned, and I enjoy it when I see boxers like Red Johnson win it.

"He is very fit and has proved he has got it in him to go on to other things."

Looking back at his own early days in the sport, Woods, 54, says former Hillsborough Boys Clubs coach Ray Gillott was probably the most effective trainer he'd ever worked with.

That is some accolade, given that Woods also worked with Neil Port, Glyn Rhodes, Howard Rainey, Tim Witherspoon and Richard Poxon.

"I think Ray has been overlooked (historically) said the Ridgeway-based gym owner.

"As a kid he made me into an upright fighter, skilled with a jab, who could stop people.

"It all came from Ray and he deserves respect for that," said Woods, whose first gym was at The Lodge in Woodhouse, where a leaky roof often meant footwork drills had to be carried out in puddles.

"He used to work at a pewter company, and would come out of work blackened up, and drive us in his Wolseley to all sorts of places to train and box.

"Ray worked with me and Paul 'Silky' Jones - so he forged two men who went on to be world champions."

*Craig Joseph, meanwhile, bowed out of boxing against high-calibre opposition.

After losing to Woods, he went eight rounds with Ingle legend Herol Graham. He lost on points and retired.