IT’S time for Birmingham fight fans to get excited about Matty Williams – a super-heavy described as “very special” by Max McCracken, pro trainer at the former council grasscutter’s Acocks Green gym.
Williams made his debut for the Great Britain team at the famed Tammer tournament, staged in Tampere, Finland, which ended on Monday. He flew home with a gold medal.
It has been a long, long time since Birmingham produced a heavyweight capable of shaking-up the world scene.
British champ Horace Notice, who competed in the 1980s, threatened to be a force, while current hopes are pinned on Solomon Dacres.
Williams, a big man capable of throwing punches non-stop, may – when he turns pro – truly put the Second City on the global heavyweight map.
A die-hard Birmingham City fan, his name could one day ring out around St Andrew’s.
The worrying thing for opponents is, at 20, he’s a long way from his peak years. In heavyweight terms, he’s a baby.
In Tampere, Matty beat Australia’s Alexander Shaw by unanimous decision in the final. Once again, an opponent found himself swamped by the sheer volume of shots coming his way.
Max said: “Matty dominated the fight with smart pressure, closing the distance well and picking his shots well. Shaw did well to go the distance – he was a very fit lad but had no answers to Matty’s high volume output.
“He closed the distance well, varied his combinations and showed some real class.”
Having mopped-up on the home front, Williams is on a quest to book his place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Of the most recent success, Max added: “A great, prestigious tournament to win. There’s a history of great boxers from all around the world fighting in Tampere over the years.
“Matty keeps getting better and is quickly developing into a world class fighter.”
Williams had the talent to prevail in Tampere, but he is far from the Finnish-ed article.
That’s truly frightening.
