Richie Woodhall vs Vincenzo Nardiello

On February 13, 1999, the Telewest Arena in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, hosted a night of championship boxing. Richie Woodhall defended his WBC World Super-middleweight Title against Vincenzo Nardiello. This bout was part of a double-header main event card, sharing top billing with the Joe Calzaghe vs Robin Reid fight for the WBO World Super-middleweight Title. Woodhall, from Telford, had secured the title by defeating Thulani Malinga in March 1998 and was making his second title defence.

Vincenzo Nardiello, known for his unorthodox style and ability to exploit the rules, entered the fight with a record of 33-6. Despite his reputation for being difficult to face, Nardiello struggled to connect with the crowd due to his tactics. However, he did manage to have moments of success during the fight. One such moment occurred in the fifth round when he was credited with a knockdown, although replays suggested that Woodhall lost his footing. Woodhall quickly regained his composure and returned the favour with a legitimate knockdown near the end of the round.

The sixth round proved decisive as Woodhall unleashed a sustained attack that left Nardiello reeling. The Italian's corner, recognizing their fighter's distress, threw in the towel, prompting referee Jose Guadalupe Garcia to stop the fight at 1:44 of the round. This victory marked Woodhall's second successful title defence, improving his record to 25-1 with 15 knockouts. Nardiello's loss moved his record to 33-7.

The fight underscored Woodhall's status as a dominant force in the super-middleweight division at the time. His reign as WBC champion would eventually end in 1999 when he lost to Markus Beyer. Still, this victory over Nardiello remains a notable highlight in his career.

The event was well-received, with Sky Sports Box Office broadcasting the fight to a big home TV audience. The joint main event format, featuring two significant title bouts, added to the excitement and anticipation surrounding the evening. While negative, the crowd's reaction to Nardiello's tactics did not detract from the overall quality of the boxing on display.

In what many believe to have been the most controversial win of Calzaghe's career, he defeated Robin Reid by split decision. Woodhall and Calzaghe's wins on the same card eventually led to the pair's meeting on December 16, 2000, with the Welshman's WBO belt at stake.