Julian Williams v Jeison Rosario

[Master]

Julian Williams ready to put on a show in first title defense

Fighters show their championship pedigrees in different ways. For Julian Williams, it came when the emotions were coursing through his body, when the crowd was roaring, when the television announcers were shrieking, when everyone was thinking, “Go finish this guy.”

Williams was challenging Jared Hurd for the IBF-WBA super welterweight title on May 11 in Fairfax, Virginia, in what was Hurd’s home turf. The unbeaten champion was heavily favored to beat Williams, who had been knocked out in the fifth round of a previous title shot by Jermall Charlo.

Few gave Williams much of a chance to defeat Hurd. The bout was a showcase for Hurd, who had scored a series of impressive wins and was beginning to get recognition as one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the sport. But Williams never wavered in his belief that he would win the fight, even considering his first title-fight loss and the fact he’d fight Hurd on the road where it was set up for Hurd to be the hero.

“From the minute we signed the contract, I believed I was going to win that fight,” Williams told Yahoo Sports. “I told everybody I spoke to, if I could be guaranteed a fair referee and two fair judges, I would win it.”

He boxed beautifully in the first round, and then late in the second, the moment arrived. He was pinned in the corner and made Hurd miss several shots, using good head movement. He slid down the ropes and landed a sharp right cross. Hurd didn’t immediately go down, but was off balance and then fell as Williams threw a left that appeared to miss.

The crowd was stunned and Williams coolly walked to the neutral corner to await the referee’s count. A guy who for so long had dreamed of winning the title had his moment at hand: If he could land a couple more clean shots, he’d get Hurd out of there and become the champion.



Williams came out of the corner and had a different strategy. Yes, he threw punches, but he didn’t unload in a crazy, windmill manner to allow Hurd to counter him.

Instinct said to polish him off, but his smarts told him to not abandon his plan.

“I figured he was buzzed rather than really hurt, so it was a matter of me being aware enough of the situation to not shoot my load,” Williams said. “It was the second round, not the 11th. He’s a guy who comes on strong in fights and I knew that I might not have enough left in the tank later when he started to make his rally and I’d shot my load trying to finish him. You’re fighting at this level, you have to be aware and be in control of yourself.”

Few fighters were ever more in command than Williams was in that moment. And it’s why he’s not concerned about looking past Jeison Rosario when they meet on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, Fox) in his first title defense.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/jul...005159672.html

[Master]

Julian Williams is confident in facing Jeison Rosario on Saturday at the Liacouras Center

Dressed in an all-black ensemble, one punctuated by his purple hair, a gold chain and sunglasses, Chris Colbert delivered Muhammad Ali-like boasts when it was his turn to speak during a prefight news conference Thursday at the Liacouras Center.

Colbert will fight on the undercard of the Julian “J-Rock” Williams-Jeison Rosario super-welterweight championship bout Saturday night at Temple’s arena. On Thursday, he sat alongside Williams, who despite being the champion and the nationally televised card’ centerpiece, looked more like a guy waiting for the subway.



While most of the other fighters on stage betrayed their excitement with bold predictions, the West Philadelphian, wearing white sneakers, a drab, loose-fitting sweatsuit, and a baseball cap, slumped casually in his chair.

“I’ve been a professional almost 10 years,” Williams said afterward. “I’ve had almost 30 pro fights. I’m relaxed. I’m taking it easy. I’m just looking at the clock.”

Two days out from his first defense of the unified championship he took from Jarrett Hurd in a spectacular bout nine months ago, Williams was nearly finished with his grueling training regimen. The last and in some ways the most challenging item on his prefight checklist will be enduring those long hours Saturday before he steps into the ring late that night to face the rangy Dominican challenger.

“I’m going to try to be just normal on Saturday, like it’s just a day off from the gym,” Williams said. “I’ll just do some things to pass time. Lay around. Eat lunch. Do some stretching. Watch some TV. Do a little bit of reading.”

Though he did it with a deadpan, “been-there, done-that” demeanor, the 29-year-old champ who coincidentally has had 29 fights (27-1-1, with 16 KOs), didn’t seem to think the younger Rosario had much of a chance.



“He said he thinks it’s going to be a war,” said Williams. “That’s the only thing he can do to have a chance. But I’m going to step on him. … He can’t outbox me. He can’t out-skill me. He’s sure not going to out-will me.”

Interestingly, before his May fight with Hurd, Williams had considered hiring Rosario, who’s been living and training in South Florida, as a sparring partner. He eventually decided he didn’t want to work out with a fighter he might have to face down the road.

“There were plenty of guys in Philly to choose from,” he said.

Rosario, nicknamed “Banana” because like Popeye and spinach he believes he derives his power from the fruit, doesn’t figure to be a pushover. He has lost just once in 21 fights and has won his last eight in succession.

“I’m not worried about fighting in his backyard,” Rosario said through an interpreter. “I’ve never fought in my own country so I’m used to it.”

For Williams, who briefly lived in a Roosevelt Boulevard homeless shelter as a youngster, Saturday night’s will be just his third Philadelphia fight and his first since 2011, a year after he turned pro.

“I’m blessed to be making my first title defense here in Philadelphia,” Williams said, “but to be honest I’m so locked into this fight that I haven’t even thought about it. I don’t want to get caught up in the hype and cameras.”

On Friday, just about the only thing that animated Williams was when Rosario’s trainer, Luis Perez, suggested that his fighter was relaxed because he had “nothing to lose.”

“Nothing to lose?” Williams flared. “His coach ain’t taking no punches. But he [Rosario] could lose his life. We lost four fighters in the ring last year.”

Williams’ trainer, Stephen Edwards, said his fighter had prepared tirelessly, an indication that he’s as hungry now as he was as a 20-year-old.

“I wanted to be champion of the world,” Williams said. “I set goals for myself and now that I’ve done that, I set a new goal … to be pound for pound the best in the world. Why not?”

In Saturday’s other Liacouras Center fights, the unbeaten lightweight Colbert (13-0), a Brooklynite nicknamed “Prime Time,” will take on Jezreel Corrales in what’s being billed as a co-main event, and Reading’s Erik Spring will meet top super-welterweight prospect Joey Spencer.

https://www.inquirer.com/sports/juli...-20200117.html

[TIC]

williams is one of the best inside fighters around today

[Ron Swanson]

Not terribly interested honestly even though I think J-Rock May be P4P list material(not saying top of the list). Get through it and let’s see another unification!

[Spicoli]

Big homecoming for Williams who hasn't fought in Philly in years. Credit where credit is overdue I think he fought one of the more 'complete' game plans a guy could execute in the Hurd fight. Shame the rematch fell out but that's on Hurd opting out and now they're fighting a week apart instead. He should probably get Rosario late unless the homecoming let down bug pops up and hopefully he and the other Charlo meet up. Nice undercard scrap with Chris Colbert and Jezzrel Corrales too.

[Master]

I like Williams and he comes across really well on TV. Hope he can reach his full potential.

[TitoFan]

Howdy folks. Ready for a good night of boxing.

[Spicoli]

Going out on a limb here but ol Joey Spencer is in for a tough go at this weight range. Didn't PBC vote him prospect of the year.

[Spicoli]

Very good poise from Chris Colbert. Not sure about the whole switch hitting thing he's doing and Corrales finding his way in with crafty combos in 2nd. Colbert do well to press the gas a bit

[TitoFan]

Damn... that first fight almost put me into a coma. Can't do much worse than Spencer-Spring. Luckily this one is a bit better.

[Spicoli]

Colbert in a bit of cruise control trying to time a physical and awkward Corrales. Colbert taking a few clean right hands for his troubles. Tons of potential with Colbert but gets distracted with too many factors..fans, corner and chatting to announcers etc.

[TitoFan]

Yep. Plus that bit of hot-dogging earned him a few scattered boos from the Philly crowd.

[Spicoli]

There we go Colbert gets a chip on his shoulder and opens up with a inside left hook and drops Corrales. Kid looks like he has the makings of a pretty effective inside counter puncher, save for Corrales trying to drunk hug him every couple of minutes .

[Spicoli]

Ugly at times but he's probably learned more in this 12 rounds than his last handful of fights easily. Announce team hyping too much . Can't see him entirely "ready" for a Santa Cruz. Walk, run, sprint

[TitoFan]

Man... I don't know. Yeah, Colberg obviously won.... and maybe Corrales isn't a very comfortable opponent.... but I just don't see Colberg ready for the elite echelon just yet.