Zuffa Boxing
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Antonio Woods Is Slowing Down To Level Up
After Making Some Crucial Changes After His First Career Defeat, Antonio ‘Super Bad’ Woods Is Ready To Make An Impact In Zuffa Boxing
American middleweight Antonio Woods has made some big adjustments to his game over the last couple of years, and now the Minneapolis-based prospect plans to put those changes to good use as he begins the latest chapter of his career with Zuffa Boxing.
Chatting to UFC.com ahead of Zuffa Boxing 03 in Las Vegas, Woods said he was super-impressed with the setup and organization of a Zuffa Boxing fight week, and said that the opportunity to fight more consistently made the decision to sign with Zuffa Boxing an easy decision.
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“I’d say it's the activity, man,” he explained.
“The consistency, the activity, everything that comes with Zuffa, and what they're trying to do, and the vision they're trying to build.
“I think it's a great opportunity for everybody who chooses to come down this path. And I think if you're in the game and you're looking to advance your career in a serious way and have the right people behind you, I think Zuffa Boxing is the way to go.”
Woods heads into his first Zuffa Boxing bout having successfully bounced back from a disqualification defeat in 2024, where he was penalized for hitting after a break was called.
It forced Woods to go back to the drawing board, and he bounced back superbly in 2025 with back-to-back knockout victories as he improved his record to 14-1.
“I was able to just kind of refocus myself, kind of re-center myself,” he said.
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“(It) taught me to calm down, settle down a lot, and really, really take in the moment, be more present, and just refocus myself on our game plans and what our goals are.
“So, being able to get those two wins and being able to work on the things that we didn't do well in the past, set me up for today.”
Woods explained that the crucial difference in his game now, compared to before his defeat, is that he’s able to slow things down in the ring. It’s helped him process things better, make better decisions, and be much more connected to everything that’s happening during the cut and thrust of a fight.
“Slowing down, I felt like it elevated my game,” he admitted.
“I’m a lot more comfortable in there, a lot more calm when I'm in the ring. I'm more decisive with what I want to do, when I want to do it. And I think that it all goes back to just being able to center and refocus and (just) be present.
“Sometimes, fighters get in there, and the fight gets ahead of you, and it almost becomes like an out-of-body experience. It's like, ‘Oh man, I'm not even here. I'm watching myself. I'm not actually in the moment.’
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“So, being able to refocus, be present in those moments, and being able to be more in control of what's going on, and take it all in and being able to look back and recount every moment in the ring has probably been the biggest benefit from that.”
Now Woods is ready to embark on his Zuffa Boxing career, starting Sunday night, when “Super Bad” steps into the ring at the Meta APEX to take on Mark Beuke in an eight-round middleweight contest. For Woods, it’s a chance to showcase his skills against a tough, game opponent.
“I think Mark's a tough guy, tough kid. He's been here before,” he said.
“He has good experience. He has a couple losses, so he's an experienced guy. And I think he also believes he can win, and I think that's something I need.
“I think it's gonna make for a great fight. Getting a guy in there who believes in himself and believes he has what it takes to give me a loss – I think it makes for a great night.”
Faced with an opponent who he feels will bring the best out of him, and with the opportunity to introduce himself to a new audience, Woods is excited for the opportunity that lies ahead, and determined to make it count.
“I’d like to just showcase my talents – actually dig in my bag and show people, and just take my time and be able to really, really execute my game plan and show people what we've been working on at camp,” he said.
“So, being able to come out Sunday night and really showcase those talents and show people what we've been working on, and how we've improved over the last year, (that’ll) be something I'm really looking forward to do.
“I hope everybody who's never seen me, that’s going to see me, sees that I'm an exciting fighter, and I'm coming to bring them action and excitement all night,” he said.
“I'm here for entertainment, and at the same time getting out of there unscathed, you know? But I want to put on the best show I can put on, and entertain everybody who's tuning in, first time seeing me.”
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