WILLIAMS 'SHOCKED' BY LACK OF US TALENT

[New Wind]

WILLIAMS 'SHOCKED' BY LACK OF US TALENT
By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

http://www.sportinglife.com/boxing/n..._Williams.html


Commonwealth champion Danny Williams has rubbished America's era of horizontal heavyweights and predicted Europeans will dominate boxing's marquee division for years to come.

For decades Britain's big men have been derided across the Atlantic, but a recent shift in boxing's power base has left the US holding just one of the four major heavyweight titles.

And Williams - who defends his title in a rematch with Matt Skelton on the July 8 Millennium Stadium bill - has wasted no time pointing out the dearth of talent across the Atlantic.

Williams said: "I am shocked by the lack of talent in America and they are going to have a long drought. They have no-one to be respected and there is no-one coming through.

"Only one American, Hasim Rahman, is champion, and he has not even won a fight yet. The Europeans are on top and suddenly the Americans have to come over here to get big fights."

Rahman was handed the WBC title following Vitali Klitschko's retirement and subsequently fought a draw with James Toney. German-based east Europeans Wladimir Klitschko, Nikolai Valuev and Sergei Liakhovich hold the other three titles.

Williams, himself subjected to scorn prior to his stunning fourth-round knockout of Mike Tyson in July 2004, is still eager to prove he has what it takes to be world champion.

Promoter Frank Warren has vowed to deliver a world title fight for the winner of Williams' second clash with Skelton, with any of the three European champions presenting attractive options.

Williams added: "Wladimir Klitschko has proved himself the top man at the moment and Liakhovich can fight, but I think Valuev would be the easiest fight for me out there.

"I am still here and hopefully I will fulfil my dream. I am more convinced than ever that I will be a world heavyweight champion before I retire."

[DaxxKahn]

Danny Williams is a joke...He has one winover a big name and that name was shot long ago....The beating he took From Vitaly was embaressing
The whole heavyweight division is a joke and no one in it should brag champion or not...But I guess it makes them feel better...Since it has been how many years the Americans have ruled the division...Having second rate fighters rule a third rate division is nothing to brag about....A prime Tyson would have practically killed Danny Williams (no exageration).....Williams should worry about other things besides talking trash....He can't beat any of the champins European or not....

[FLH2o]

What's so shocking? Noone in the states cares about boxing anymore.
The sports that everyone plays here are:
American football-Of course we're the best at it, noone else even plays it.
Basketball-far and away the best, we don't even send our best to the Olympics anymore, but when we did the games were all 126-78 blowouts.
Baseball-we're probably the best at this, I don't know, I f#cking hate baseball.
...also if you check the Olympics there's a bunch of other crap we're apparently great at like snowboarding.
Anyway, my point is it's only natural that as interest wanes due to PPV, corruption,
etc. so shall our hold on boxing superiority. It's no coincidence that when boxing used to air on network TV in the States the HW belt was considered an American birthright.

...and Danny Williams IS a joke.

[Howlin Mad Missy]

perhaps but it doesn't lessen the point that the yanks don't have anyone and the titles are in the hands of europeans.

[Howlin Mad Missy]

What's so shocking? Noone in the states cares about boxing anymore.
The sports that everyone plays here are:
American football-Of course we're the best at it, noone else even plays it.
Basketball-far and away the best, we don't even send our best to the Olympics anymore, but when we did the games were all 126-78 blowouts.
Baseball-we're probably the best at this, I don't know, I f#cking hate baseball.
...also if you check the Olympics there's a bunch of other crap we're apparently great at like snowboarding.
Anyway, my point is it's only natural that as interest wanes due to PPV, corruption,
etc. so shall our hold on boxing superiority. It's no coincidence that when boxing used to air on network TV in the States the HW belt was considered an American birthright.

...and Danny Williams IS a joke.

Would someone like to post the breakdown of titles held by country?

[TyBuff]

In the US if you are a big man with athletic ability there are other sports that are available to play that makes more money for less effort. You have American football, basketball, and baseball. In the US you can not get much bigger than Basketball or American football, these are the two main sports right now. Boxing is no longer on the radar screen for the young kids anymore.

[FLH2o]

I'm not trying to "lessen the point", I'm offering an explanation, and do you disagree
that we once had a "hold on boxing superiority"? because we clearly did and don't anymore.

[FLH2o]

I doubt you do, I think you just took that out of context either due to genuine lack of comprehension or as a pathetic attempt to justify sadclicking me to yourself,
but I guess that wasn't you right?

[Wacko3205]

perhaps but it doesn't lessen the point that the yanks don't have anyone and the titles are in the hands of europeans.

This is one thing that has often bothered me...and I don't mean this as a personal slap Missy...so don't take it that way.

Why does everyone always get so up in the air over nationalities & boxing.

I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just an unpatriotic idiot or some shat...but honestly...if a man's a great fighter...I don't give two flying turds covered in corn where the hell he's from.

That being said...facts being a facts...Danny Williams is one to talk about a lack of talent coming from anywhere.

Anywho...I don't get the nationality thing...I never have...I suppose I never will.

[The_One77]

tbh it really runs into people's subconciousness, perhaps alot of white people are glad to see white heavyweights controlling the scene....Its only natural that a white non-boxing fan is going to route for the white fighter if there was a match between a white boxer and black boxer.
It may be a prick on some americans ego's that there are european champions, but that isn't unexpected because for the past 100 years they were the superior to everyone else in regards to the sport.

[raleights]

It really does show a certain amount of unsophistication to throw every variable in the fight out the window just because that person is the same skin color or from your country. I thought it was hilarious when I seen this beautiful actress from Peurto Rico backing Trinidad in one of his fights, singing along to their national anthem, completely obsessed with the fact 'this guys from my country woohoo'. And her facial expression when Winky made him look like a fool, well like mastercard it was priceless. Some people really do need to be kicked in the face with a golf shoe.

[LarryB]

perhaps but it doesn't lessen the point that the yanks don't have anyone and the titles are in the hands of europeans.

This is one thing that has often bothered me...and I don't mean this as a personal slap Missy...so don't take it that way.

Why does everyone always get so up in the air over nationalities & boxing.

I just don't get it. Maybe I'm just an unpatriotic idiot or some shat...but honestly...if a man's a great fighter...I don't give two flying turds covered in corn where the hell he's from.

That being said...facts being a facts...Danny Williams is one to talk about a lack of talent coming from anywhere.

Anywho...I don't get the nationality thing...I never have...I suppose I never will.

good honest opinion from wacko. CC
Im Irish so of course I watch out for the likes of John Duddy and Bernard Dunne but outside Ireland, i dont really care where they are from but I do like Ricky Hatton and Joe C.

oh yeah we were talking about Mr Kipling Danny
who is he is to talk
he's fought no one cos Mike has been shot for years.
Anyone who got past the firstround with Mike tyson the last few years had a chnace of beating him cos his heart had gone and he didnt want to be in that ring.

Vitali handed danny his ass with a mr kipling behind his buns

[Wacko3205]

right back Larry B.

[New Wind]

right back Larry B.

Wacko, please CC me – I do NOT care of nationality and I really love the style and skills of Jeff Lacy, who is NOT from Denmark

Please CC me

[Wacko3205]

right back Larry B.

Wacko, please CC me – I do NOT care of nationality and I really love the style and skills of Jeff Lacy, who is NOT from Denmark

Please CC me

How about I you for being a bit of a biased racist who runs things into the ground repeatedly?

Wouldn't that be more appropriate? That'd be the Royal treatment in my book.