Woods a man of steel: WITH SLIDESHOW

So too was their general demeanour; best described as mutually melancholic.

They had both been utterly drained by the common aim to push their bodies through the most gruelling test imaginable in pursuit of victory.

Any late visitor at this point, at Sheffield Arena, as both wounded competitors sat side by side on the ring apron, would have been hard-pressed to pick out a winner.

And so it had been for all of us who had watched this absorbing 12-round spectacle, Woods' fourth IBF defence.

It was the South Yorkshireman who took the verdict over the South American though, courtesy of a repeat of his late, late show in his last performance against the Aztec warrior.

Two years ago, Gonzalez had presented a similarly robust challenge, one that required a surge of will in the later rounds to secure a points win for Woods.

So it was, again, on Saturday night, with judges meriting Woods the victor on score-cards of 117-111, 115-113 and 116-112.

What do you think of Clinton's performance? Post your comments below.

A dignified Woods showed relief rather than joy as his fans celebrated; honourable recognition for an opponent not that far behind him in the pecking order of the world's best light-heavyweights.

He was also recognising that the period of 12 months, 27 days and 23 hours since he'd last boxed - an absence from the ring forced upon him by elbow injury - had also been a desperately difficult obstacle to overcome, both mentally and physically.

"He matched me all the way," acknowledged the champion. "It was a tough night, harder than last time.

"All the way through the fight, I felt rusty. I am a bit critical of myself. I couldn't get my shots away. I lost my balance and momentum a few times, but I said beforehand it would be difficult.

"It was close and I was tired, and my pace was a bit slow, I wasn't firing out jabs or combinations that I should have.

"But I didn't want to lose my title and thought the ninth round onwards sealed it for me.

"It was a fantastic fight and again it proved I am the best light-heavyweight on the planet. Whether it's Bernard Hopkins or Antonio Tarver next, I'll match 'em. In five or six months, I will be a lot sharper."

The defeated, but noble challenger had at least the consolation that he had denied Woods his ambition to be the first man to stop him.

He said: "Clinton said he wanted to knock me out, he tried but he can't.

I want Tarver says Clinton. I hurt him with some body shot...Mexicans never quit.."

Westfield-born Woods, 35 years old, had recorded his 41st win out of 45 - and there can't have been many which drained him quite so much.

His rival had a stated ambition to be a world champion for a second time, his earlier title the WBO belt in 2003.

And in the early rounds, there was little between the two as both parties vied to achieve sustained periods of ascendancy.

Gonzalez looked dangerous with combination punches, while Woods' jab and left hook gave Gonzalez something to think about as he made his way to his stool after the second-bell.

Gonzalez was missing shots in the third round and the crowd was sensing, wrongly, that Woods was about to assert himself.

But the 31-year-old Californian, from Guerrero Negro, Mexico, suddenly became aggressor-in-chief, forcing the Ridgeway battler on to the ropes, time after time.

Round five was ugly, with a reddened mark under Gonzalez's left eye not preventing him from a severe examination of Woods' defences.

The next session was the same story, with Woods forced mainly on the back foot by relentless pressure.

Woods now knew he had to dig deep.

And with the realisation that he may need something special came superior punching, at last he was beginning to nail a rival with such an awkward, unpredictable style.

Suddenly, it was Gonzalez, once a member of his school wrestling team, who was having to cling on and pin his opponent's arms to seek a respite.

He could no longer sustain his immense workrate and round 10 saw a dominant Woods bring large numbers in the crowd to their feet for the first time.

Woods banged him so hard in the 11th that it seemed only the ropes which stopped Gonzalez from going down.

Both boxers were now bleeding from those wounds at the top of their right eyes, but confidence was now surging through the home boxer and he continued to punish Gonzalez until the final bell.

Promoter Dennis Hobson said: "It was a fantastic contest; Clinton is made from Sheffield steel!"

And next time, that Sheffield steel won't be as rusty ...

Stradbroke's

British cruiserweight champion, John Buster Keeton, was forced to hand over his treasured belt to a taller, faster, more skilled Yorkshire rival in Mark Hobson, after a brave but eventually futile first defence. ended in a fourth-round stoppage.

Woods, Dwayne Hill (Arbourthorne) left the best until last against slick, hard-punching Russian Vadim Astapuk, with a points win.

Mexborough cruiserweight Scott Brookes beat Hastings Rasani, while Sheffield's Adam Kelly overcame Matt Ceawright.