LIAM WILLIAMS, 20-2-1, 15 early, knows that a win over Karim Achour on Saturday (July 13) will put him on the verge of a world title shot at middleweight and it is an opportunity he is not willing to let slip away from him again.
The 27-year-old โMachineโ has been in a similar position before, losing twice in two close fights with Liam Smith in 2017, but he has worked himself back to where he believes he should be and is confident he will dispatch the Frenchman in impressive fashion.
Williams, who holds the British middleweight title, will be aiming to add the WBC Silver strap to his collection, as well as steal the show on a big night of action at the O2 Arena in London, headlined by Daniel Dubois and Nathan Gormanโs eagerly awaited clash for the British heavyweight crown.
The Welshman told Boxing News: โThere was no shame in losing to Smith, as he is a good fighter. I believe I should have won the first one, whilst the second one was tight, so it was tough to take, as it wasnโt like I was taken apart by him. I still believe Iโm the better man out of the pair of us.
โThose two losses pushed me right back, 18 months at least, so itโs taken me all that time to get back to the position I was already in before the Smith fights. It hasnโt been easy, but Iโm back where I should be and it wonโt be slipping away again.
โIโm vey confident that I will beat Achour, in fact Iโm very confident that Iโm going to smash him to bits. Heโs been in with good fighters before and always lost, so Iโm ready to stop him in good fashion with a good performance and move on to bigger things.โ
Williams points to his move to Sheffield, under the watchful eye of Dominic Ingle at the famous Wincobank gym, as the major factor in re-discovering his love of the sport again. There were times he doubted that he had made the right move, but those doubts are a thing of the past now.
A win on Saturday should see him propelled up the rankings with the WBC, who now have Jermall Charlo as their world champion after the bizarre decision to declare Canelo Alvarez the โFranchiseโ champion last week, a move that has baffled many in the sport, Williams included.
He added: โI love it in Sheffield. Iโm learning every day and enjoying going to the gym every day. It has revitalised me. At first, Iโm not going to lie, it was a struggle, especially being away from my little girl. At first I was maybe convincing myself it was all right, but it really has come together.
โIโm comfortable and if it wasnโt for my little girl, I would move here tomorrow. I was accepted immediately and it has given me a new lease of life. I knew it was time to move on from Gary Lockett and this has definitely been the correct decision and itโs done wonders for me, which is showing in my performances as well.
โIโve been told a win will put me as high as number three in the rankings, which would be unreal. Thatโs what I want. The Charlo fight really appeals to me, but the whole situation with making Canelo the franchise champion is stupid. Who actually cares? Fight your mandatories or give the belt up. Donโt give him a back up because he fancies moving up in weight or doing catchweights. I really donโt agree with it.โ
Williams though isnโt solely focused on the WBC and wonโt rule out a fight with any big name in the division. He is also adamant that he is capable of making the 154lbs limit and is keeping his options open, as he closes in on potential world title glory.
โThereโs some great fights and big paydays there for me. Iโve heard Jaime Munguia is moving up to take on Gennady Golovkin, but heโll get smashed to bits, as he thinks his chin is better than it actually is. He takes far too many shots, which is lethal against GGG.
โBut, I really think Demetrius Andrade could be the best of the bunch. Heโs a big southpaw, who can punch, despite what his recent results say and, itโs a big call, I think he could beat Canelo. Iโd fight them all tomorrow though as there the fights you want to be in.
โThere is also a possibility of going back down to super-welterweight though, as Iโm waking up lighter than I did for the Smith fights. I can operate at both weights which means there are plenty of options on the table. Nothing is out of the question, so weโll have to see what happens.โ