Curtis Woodhouse aiming for 'dream' title win

Sheffield boxer Curtis Woodhouse is aiming to make "a dream come true" by beating Dave Ryan to take the English light-welterweight title.

The 32-year-old faces Ryan in Rotherham on Friday.

"I feel really good and I'm just looking forward to getting in there now," he told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"The main thing for me now is getting in that ring and taking the title because that would be a dream come true for me."

He added: "I only found out it was going to be for an English title a few weeks ago so that's added an extra spice to it for me.

"When I first started out I was ridiculed quite a lot but if I win this title then I can shut a few people up."

Woodhouse will be looking to bounce back after falling to a fifth-round defeat by Dale Miles in a British light-welterweight title eliminator in June.

The former Sheffield United and Birmingham City midfielder is combining his boxing career with managerial duties at Sheffield FC.

He took over at the Northern Premier League Division One South side in the summer and says he sees his long-term future in football.

"The football management is something I'll look to go forward in once my boxing days are over," he continued.

"I see myself boxing until I'm about 40 but after that's over I'd like to make a career for myself in football management."