sports
Fightzone Sign Up Future Heavyweight World Champion!
![Adrian King
Photo: Fightzone]()
Adrian King
Photo: Fightzone
Fightzone has just signed up a future heavyweight champion of the world says one of British boxing's most colourful characters, Curtis Woodhouse.
Woodhouse is the former Blades star who could fight a bit too! After a hugely successful football career that also included a spell at Birmingham City, Curtis turned pro in 2006, racking up 24 wins, and is best remembered for the tremendous achievement of winning the British Super Lightweight crown in 2014 against Darren Hamilton.
After hanging up his gloves in 2017, Woodhouse has remained connected to the sport and is now the trainer of a fledgling heavyweight who has just begun his boxing journey, but who is already making waves in the sport - Adrian 'The Next' King.
Hailing from Beverley in Yorkshire, and standing at 6′ 6″ and weighing over 17 stone, King cuts an imposing figure. After a short but exciting amateur career, the 19-year-old turned pro in November last year and is now unbeaten in two pro-outings, including an impressive stoppage win on his Fightzone debut last month.
With future fights already lined up for May 25th at the York Hall and a homecoming show in Beverley on July 20th, the aim is to keep Adrian busy this year as he continues to learn his trade - exclusively in front of the Fightzone audience.
Excited about the future, Woodhouse believes that King and Fightzone are the perfect match to take the heavyweight scene by storm, and is delighted to be teaming up with his good friend, Dennis Hobson.
"I'm really happy, I've known Dennis for a lot of years," explained Curtis. "I've seen the work he's done with other fighters; I love his enthusiasm for the game, he's still really passionate to be successful.
“I said to Dennis, 'if I get someone special, I'll bring him to you', and I like the fact that Fightzone take their fighters around the world. A big thing for Adrian would be to fight over in the Cayman Islands, which is 30 minutes from where he's originally from. So, I thought it was a perfect fit and I'm absolutely delighted to get the deal over the line.
“Fightzone is great, I've watched lots of the shows and I love the production. Fightzone linking up with talkSPORT was another major factor, it’s really beneficial for Adrian, taking him to a wider audience. Adrian made his debut on Fightzone and talkSPORT absolutely loved him, they were really excited about him - so it's a perfect fit.
“Adrian will surpass anything I've ever done in the sport, by far. I fully expect him to become heavyweight champion of the world, one day! To do what he's doing already, with so little experience, sparring champions and holding his own - I get to see him every day and this kid's a very special talent.
“All that he's lacking is experience, and he's still got plenty of growing to do. The main thing now is to keep him busy, and get him in learning fights under the lights. He's only had two amateur and two pro fights, so it's all about keeping him learning.
“When the time's right, we'll let him off the leash. At the moment though, it's baby steps. He's only 19, he's a physical specimen but he's still a boy with lots of filling out to do, but I expect him to eventually be a 20 stone fighter. We'll bring him on slowly, and then when he starts fighting for titles, there’s no turning back.”
“It’s fantastic to be working with Adrian and Curtis,”
said Fightzone’s Dennis Hobson. “Curtis and I go back a long way and I have a lot of time for him. He’s one of British boxing’s great characters, and I’m pleased that we’re on this journey together.
“Everyone loves a heavyweight, especially a good heavyweight, and Fightzone have got one in Adrian! It’s very early days for him, but I like what I’ve seen already and can’t wait to watch his career unfold on Fightzone.
“We’ve already achieved so much at Fightzone, including staging world, British, and European titles fights and with Adrian onboard this is another really exciting chapter, and one that boxing fans can enjoy completely FREE.”