Curtis Woodhouse completed a
remarkable journey from Premier League footballer to British boxing
champion on Saturday night - and picked up £250,000 in the process.
The 33-year-old former Sheffield United and Birmingham midfielder upset Darren Hamilton in front of a raucous crowd in Hull to win the light-welterweight title.
Woodhouse, who placed a bet of £5,000 on himself doing just that at 50-1 when he switched sports in 2006, confirmed he will now retire.
'I can't believe it,' he said in an emotionally-charged interview. 'When I said I was going to be a professional boxer, everyone laughed at me.
'I had the audacity to say I'd be British champion. I'd like to dedicate this to my late dad.
'How can I ever top what happened tonight? I wanted to bow out as champion and I plan to stick to it.'
Woodhouse, who played in the top flight with Birmingham, won his first 10 professional fights before coming unstuck against Jay Morris in 2009.
Another four victories were followed by a run of seven fights in which he was unable to string two wins together. He did, however, run current British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Frankie Gavin extremely close in 2011.
The 33-year-old former Sheffield United and Birmingham midfielder upset Darren Hamilton in front of a raucous crowd in Hull to win the light-welterweight title.
Woodhouse, who placed a bet of £5,000 on himself doing just that at 50-1 when he switched sports in 2006, confirmed he will now retire.
Pure delight: Curtis Woodhouse celebrates beating Darren Hamilton to win the British title
Promise: Woodhouse celebrates the victory he dedicated to his dad (right, centre) who died five years ago
Thank you: Woodhouse took to Twitter on Sunday morning to thank the home support he received in Hull
Winner: Woodhouse with his belt and team in the locker room afterwards
'I can't believe it,' he said in an emotionally-charged interview. 'When I said I was going to be a professional boxer, everyone laughed at me.
'I had the audacity to say I'd be British champion. I'd like to dedicate this to my late dad.
'How can I ever top what happened tonight? I wanted to bow out as champion and I plan to stick to it.'
Woodhouse, who played in the top flight with Birmingham, won his first 10 professional fights before coming unstuck against Jay Morris in 2009.
Another four victories were followed by a run of seven fights in which he was unable to string two wins together. He did, however, run current British and Commonwealth welterweight champion Frankie Gavin extremely close in 2011.
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