TROY WILLIAMSON emerged from his gruelling battle with Mark Dickinson victorious, piecing together a truly stunning ninth-round finish to claim the vacant English title.
The pair squared off on the undercard of Pat McCormack vs Miguel Parra, treating fans at the Rainton Meadows Arena, England, to a thrilling Durham County derby.
After Dickinson, 8-2 (2 KOs), weighed in over 5lbs above the super-middleweight limit, though, his English title, of which he was promptly stripped, was only on the line for Williamson, 21-4-1 (15 KOs).
As expected, Dickinson’s lack of professionalism on the scales paid dividends early doors, his naturally bigger frame representing a sizable hurdle for the former British super-welterweight champion.
Not only that, but a thudding right hand got ‘Boo Boo’ off to a strong start, the shot so clean that it almost buckled the typically sturdy legs of Williamson.
And again, it was the sharp backhand of Dickinson that proved effective in the second round, affording his opponent very few opportunities to establish his rhythm.
Williamson then found crumbs of success in the pocket, catching his opponent with several eye-catching uppercuts, only for Dickinson to unleash yet another barrage of right hands.
But Williamson, to his credit, responded with a titanic fourth-round effort, his speed allowing him to deliver a particularly promising right hook at close quarters.
The pair then went hell for leather in the fifth frame, before an almost identical three minutes of non-stop action unfolded.
By the seventh round, though, it appeared that both men, perhaps mutually deciding to take their foot off the gas, were practically running on empty.
But then, just as it appeared as though Dickinson’s size advantage was proving decisive, the 26-year-old suddenly held his feet, his hands down by his side, and found himself on the receiving end of a monstrous right hand.
Despite scrambling back to his feet, it was just a few moments later – at 1-52 of round nine, to be exact – that Dickinson was deemed in no fit state to continue.
Shortly after referee Reece Carter drew an appropriate halt to their contest, Williamson then insisted that, despite losing four of his last six outings, this is just the start of a long Indian summer in his rollercoaster career.
“Plenty more to come, baby. I AM BACK,” he said in his post-fight interview.
“Look, I carry the power late on in the rounds, and anyone can get it!”
