Woodall back with a victory over ‘El Loco’

Steed Woodall in the dressing room before his Excelsior bout

STEED “Stallion” Woodall is back – and burning for another crack at the British title.

Last night (Thursday) the Birmingham powerhouse put nine months pain, following Lonsdale Belt disappointment, behind him to pound on Argentinian Marcel Fabian Bzowski for six one sided rounds.

In the gilt-edged setting of Scott Murray’s Excelsior Sporting Club, Woodall – a product of Birmingham’s Eastside gym – dominated every second of every session, referee Peter McCormack scoring 60-53.

The battle-worn Buenos Aries veteran carries the nickname “El Loco” and probably thought he was loco for taking the match after being dropped heavily in the first.

He took his lumps, understandably shut-up shop after the knockdown, and deserves credit for seeing the fight through to the end: for him, a bitter end.

For 31-year-old Woodall it was a case of blowing away the cobwebs gathered following defeat to British champ Callum Simpson. It was also a chance to begin the process of burying the memory of that two round loss, though he and trainer Paul “Soggy” Counihan remain adamant the ref stepped in too soon.

“If all fights were stopped like that you wouldn’t have classics like Castillo and Corrales,” said Counihan, who believes Woodall can still become British champ.

“I would’ve like Steed back in the gym sooner, if I’m honest,” Counihan said. “We believe Simpson will vacate the British title, then we’ll push to be in an eliminator.”

Muscled Woodall, a former world class amateur, has the gifts to be champ – and he deserves financial reward after enduring a frustrating career that promised so much.

He had his first 17 fights in America, losing only one, returned to Birmingham and signed a major promotional contract. The deal simply didn’t work out, injuries hampered progress and meaningful matches were hard to find. His career stalled.

There have been moments of brilliance, such as Woodall’s destruction of unbeaten former British, European and IBO world boss Lerrone Richards, but after 11 years and 24 bouts as a professional the public has yet to see Steed consistently at full throttle.

He certainly didn’t need full throttle to beat 36-year-old Bzowski: he didn’t need more than second gear.

He looked headed for a very early night when a whiplash left hook dropped the visitor in the first. Bzowski (12st 2lbs), much the smaller of the two, scrambled to his feet at four, then stumbled drunkenly around the ring, his defences in disarray, as Woodall poured on the pressure.

He survived and from then on, it became a case of Woodall (12st 3lbs) hunting, Bzowski hiding. El Loco was loathed to engage.

Steed speared Bzowski with rights to head and body, pinned him in a neutral corner in the third and drilled home heavy shots. His opponent fiddled and spoiled his way to safety.

The target practice continued with Woodall working the body in the fifth, keeping up the pressure in the last.

He will be relieved to get rounds under his belt. Bzowski simply looked relieved the torture was over.

In a social media post, Woodall said: “Good to get some rounds in last night. It was just a run out to get back active as it’s coming up to nine months since my last one. If you catch these kids early, it sends them into survival mode and that’s what happened.

“Still yet to see the best of me 20 plus pro fights in. That being said, it was good to have a little fun on a Thursday evening.”

Manager Jon Pegg said: “It sounds crazy, but sometimes the worst thing you can do is knock someone down when their fresh because they just go in a shell.

“Bzowski was adept at getting out of the way.”