Curtis Woodhouse, English footballer, boxer, and manager
Curtis Woodhouse BEM (born 17 April 1980) is an English former professional footballer turned professional boxer and football manager, most recently in charge of Gainsborough Trinity. Woodhouse played football as a central midfielder, and competed as a light-welterweight boxer. He is the former British light-welterweight champion. His career in the Football League spanned across nine seasons, earning four caps for the England under-21 football team. Woodhouse's professional boxing record stands at 29 fights 22 wins, 13 of which are by knock-out, and 7 defeats.
He started his footballing career with York City's centre of excellence before joining Sheffield United. In November 2001, he was transferred to Birmingham City for a fee of £1 million, before joining Rotherham United in January 2003, on loan for five months. He then joined Peterborough United on a free transfer in October 2003. In May 2005, he joined Hull City for £25,000, before joining Grimsby Town just eight months later in January 2006. He retired at the end of the 2006–07 season.
Woodhouse stated that he had "fallen out of love" with football and decided to turn to professional boxing, despite no previous experience. In September 2006, he won his first professional boxing match, defeating Dean Marcantonio, on points, knocking him down twice in the final round.
He was convicted of assaulting a police officer and of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in April 2006. As a result, he had his boxing licence suspended for five months by the British Boxing Board of Control, despite the incident happening before he was under the BBBofC's jurisdiction. Woodhouse returned to football in November 2006, joining Rushden & Diamonds in the Conference National before moving to Mansfield Town in January 2009. After leaving them, he moved to Harrogate Town. At the end of February 2010, he joined Sheffield in the Northern Premier League. Before the start of the 2011–12 football season, he moved up two divisions in the football league system when he joined Conference North outfit Eastwood Town.