Woods tipped for IBF title chance

Woods is the IBF's number two contender after beating Elvir Muriqi.

Sheffield's former light-heavyweight world champion Clinton Woods could fight for the IBF title as early as September, BBC Radio Sheffield reports.

Woods' manager Denis Hobson said: "I am assured that the winner of [Saturday's][Antonio] Tarver v [Chad] Dawson fight will not defend their title.

"We believe they are going to relinquish the title, so Clinton would be in for the vacant title.

"I believe this title will be up for grabs as early as September."

Should Woods get his chance, his likely opponent will be number one contender Tavoris Cloud, the American who last year beat former WBO champion Julio Cesar Gonzalez in the Chicago in an elimination fight.

Woods, who lost his title to Tarver in April 2008, won an elimination bout against Elvir Muriqi of Kosova in February this year.

Hobson said he would like to get a Woods bout in Sheffield.

"I would love it to take place in Sheffield, but it's down to the television. With this credit crunch, television has had to pull back [on the money it pays for fights].

"You have the Carl Froch [super-middleweight world title] fight and no British television company could take that fight live, so I'll bid for it and hopefully we can get it back to Sheffield."