After news reached Warriors Boxing Promotions that IBF light heavyweight champion Clinton Woods and his promoter, Fight Academy, had announced an optional title defense against Jason DeLisle on May 13 without first receiving an exception from the IBF for this defense - which would bypass mandatory contender Glen Johnson, the Hollywood based promoter quickly jumped into action by filing an official objection with the sanctioning organization.

“Yesterday, the IBF notified Warriors on behalf of Glen Johnson that Clinton Woods was requesting an exception to delay the start of negotiations for Woods' mandatory defense against Glen Johnson so that Clinton Woods could take an interim fight,” said Warriors’ Leon Margules. “In notifying Glen Johnson, the IBF has informed us that we have 72 hours to object to the request for exception, after which, if the objection is overruled, there is an appellate process. 
We have now filed our timely objection to the Woods’ request for an exception.”

Margules and Team Johnson take issue with the fact that a press release was issued Friday proclaiming the Woods-DeLisle bout as an official IBF title bout, thus ignoring the rules and regulations of the IBF. 

Glen Johnson – who holds a 1-0-1 record against the champion – has earned his shot at the championship with impressive wins over George Khalid Jones and Richard Hall, while DeLisle has already been stopped by Woods in 2004, and even lost his last bout in November of 2005 to Julio Gonzalez.  Simply put, there is no legitimate reason for the IBF to grant this exception to Woods.

“I believe in the integrity of the IBF and I have always followed their rules,” said Margules.  “I also believe the IBF follows its rules and has given and will give due process to Glen Johnson.”