Revealing statements from Danny Williams

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:00

Does this explain why his heart isn't in the game sometimes?

From the press conference on Tuesday.

How did you got involved in boxing?

Williams: From a young age, my dad kept telling me I was going to be world champion. He had the dream that I could be world champion and he forced me into boxing when I was eight years old. I did not want to do it, but my dad is very strict. You have to do what he says. So I have done it for many years reluctantly. Then after awhile, I started to like it. So here I am today.

Question: Is your father still alive?

Williams: Yeah, He is still alive. He should be coming out to the fight.

Question: Did your dad or any uncles fight? What got your dad so convinced at such an early age that you were going to heavyweight champ?

Williams: He said he had the dream that I was going to be champion of the world. He just had a dream. I have got two older brothers, but he never put them in boxing. He just put me in boxing because he said he had the dream. And from a young age, even though I did not like the sport, everyone said I had lots of talent. So maybe he will be right.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:28

Possibly so. Its a shame, really, that he's not doing something he loves.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:32

I never knew this about Danny. If you read his words carefully, he mixes the past and present tenses, when he says. For a long time I've done something I don't love, rather than, for a long time I did something I don't love. I think it may well be the case, that like Michael Grant, Danny is a guy with talent, but no desire for the game.

This is probably the most revealing interview I have ever read with Danny, and I think having read this, that he is going to get mullered. Tyson won't go down easy, and Danny just doesn't have the mean streak to finish him off I don't think.

Against Mark Potter, when Danny was in pain and real danger, and his back was against the wall, he put in a real fight, but I can now see Danny going over like he did against Sanil Sam late in the fight.

what a shame that Danny has been browbeaten into a career he never wanted.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:36

Danny may have been feeling a bit sorry for himself on Tuesday. It was his 31st birthday, and there was no press conference cake for him as there had been for Mike Tyson on his 38th birthday on June 30.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:38

Are you kidding? Or are you being serious sunshine.

If the lack of a birthday cake is enough to have him recoiling into a mental jellyfish state, then god help him when Mike comes snarling.

Mind you, is Mike really that angry any more. He helped Ettienne up after sparking him, and hugged Danny at the press conference. It's all getting a bit weird.

DIRT SUGAR · Post by **DIRT SUGAR** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:39

Danny's the Buster Douglas of his day. Loads of talent, but lacks the real hardcore dedication required to reach the top. However, for one night, Douglas reached for the stars... and beat the crap out of a peak Tyson!!!

Williams in the first two rounds. Danny will get staggered and an overconfident Tyson will walk onto a huge right uppercut that knocks him down and Williams finishes it off with a barrage of punches! That's how it panned out in this dream I had....

Right, that's it. I'm off to put a fiver on Rich Beem to win the Open and Danny to waste tyson in the first three rounds

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:45

Douglas fought angry that night though, when he punched Tyson, he was really lashing out at the cruelty of the world which took his mother away from him, he was banishing his demons, and mike happened to be the human punchbag which allowed for catharsis.

Danny doesn't have any such Demons I don't think.....

Unless of course he gets real mad over his lack of birthday cake....

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:46

What we might see here is quite interesting being that it could be the overconfident Tyson vs the lacking in confidence that is Williams.

I get the impression if Williams had confidence in his abilities, he'd waste Tyson. But he doesn't. Even though we saw a shabby performance against Keith Long, and taking too long to beat Sprott in the first fight being that Sprott had been sat on his arse on a beach six days before, he still had a certain degree of confidence.

Since he got absoultely destroyed by the big burger eater that is Sin Samil Sam his confidence has just not been in it.

Who wins the person who takes his opponent too lightly? Or the guy who goes in thinking his opponent is going to absolutely destroy him?

The more I think about it, the more I think that it is a shame that these two are having a high profile fight rather then too hungry fighters.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:50

For me the big question is what will Williams do when the first bell rings. Surely with all his experience he will know he has to move around and quickly. Don't even worry about landing punches for the first half of the round, just let the guy keep on chasing and swinging. It won't last.

I'll be very very disappointed if Danny feels the pressure to the point where he can't get on his bike.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:54

If anything, Tyson is hungrier. He's been to the top, and he's been a millionnaire, and now he's broke and washed up. Danny stands between him and a couple of paydays which could set him up for life, two bigs fights maybe even a 3rd fight with Holy (sad but quite possible), if he loses to Danny, he won't be able to command a big payday.

Danny by contrast doesn't seem like a man who is that interested in scaling dizzy heights, he seems a more introspective character, who doesn't really live for the fame or the glory, or even the money.

I think even though he may not train his ass off, Tyson isn't going to go down without a fight, Danny is really going to have to give him a beating to make him fall over, and I just don't see that happening. I thought Danny had a chance, but his post conference comments have changed my mind.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:55

The real question is why is he saying these things before such a big fight. I can't see it being because he wants to lull his opponent into a false sense of security...... What is more revealing is that before a fight with Tyson he is prepared to go out in public and admit thats his hearts not really in the sport.

It makes me wonder if he is just there to take the money and fall over.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 07:55

Me too.

DIRT SUGAR · Post by **DIRT SUGAR** » 15 Jul 2004, 09:46

One thing I don't see in Danny is that he's a quitter. If so, he wouldn't have stood around getting hammered to bits by Sam, he'd have stayed down when he first got floored.

Against Potter he just wouldn't go down, no matter how much pain he is.

I see it like this. It's how he navigates that first round. Tyson's punches hurt men in a way they've never been hurt before and ther lies the rub. It's being able to take that initial shot when your adrenaline is flowing like a muvverfucker – that's when it's hardest.

If Danny can jab and spoil Tyson when he gets close and get his blood pumping at a more normal rate, I can see him really doing the job.

Plus, one thing about this fight is that Danny doesn't have his home comforts and Jimmy Mac will be working very closely with him regarding the psychological aspects. He's very good at that and I don't know why but I've got a good feeling about this fight for Danny.

Remember, Tyson is just not going to be any better and it's alright saying he's hungry now but that's bollocks. He won't look any better than he did against Brian Nielsen and the inactivity will really hurt him. I give Tyson the proverbial puncher's chance, not the other way round. Tyson's got to come to the end sooner rather than later and I feel the setting is right. A fighter with a good jab beating a brawler in Muhammad Ali's hometown!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 09:51

The guys at maxboxing are now saying that Tyson is looking a lot better in the gym than 2 weeks ago, he's in much better shape, and he's actually been going through his sparring partners and giving them hell.

Now they have no good reason to lie, and and I trust their judgement.

As Freddie Roach said, 'Bankrupcy is good for Mike.' I think he's right.

Tyson is of course never going to be the quicksilver elusive terror he was as a 20 year old, but he's in against a mentally frail competitor.

I know danny doesn't lack heart, but I think he lacks the fire to really believe and want to take Tyson out. You've got to really pound on Mike to bring him down. Lewis hit him with punches that would have mullered most heavyweights by the 3rd round, Tyson just stood there and took a beating. Tyson has a world class chin, and certainly isn't a quitter, he may have wanted to quit against Lewis, but he walked into the ring like a man going to the gallows for more lumps.

It is worth noting, that nobody has ever managed to outpoint Tyson, everyone who beat him, had to pound him into the ground to win.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 15 Jul 2004, 09:53

True Dirt. There's positives all over the place if you look. Tyson took 5 rounds to land a decent shot on Frans friggin Botha, and he was way fitter in 99 than he will be for this fight. Even the average Orlin Norris (until the late shot) was looking comfortable using simple, simple boxing tactics to contain Tyson.

The once great fighting machine is so beatable, it's just keeping concentration 100% of the time that's the hard part for these guys.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:05

Boo hoo, my heart bleeds for him.

He has probably earned far more in a 10 year career with questionable dedication than most people will in their lifetime of working themselves into the ground.

I hope he gets sparked.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:10

Despite all the money he has earned, Tyson has probably had a far more unhappy existence than most of us on this forum. It's a cliche, but money doesn't buy you happiness, and Tyson's life is the perfect illustration of this.

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:18

Isn't 007 talking about Williams? Either way I don't agree that how much money you've earned should determine how much sympathy you're entitled to.

DG. · Post by **DG.** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:25

I knew that story about DW about 10 years ago !

It is nothing new !

He will be prepared and if he is right - he beats Tyson !

Take it to rounds 4 and 5 and see what happens !

Williams wins by KO !

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:37

I think the only way Williams wins if Tyson quits, even SSS knock out williams.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:39

Kilburn wrote:Isn't 007 talking about Williams? Either way I don't agree that how much money you've earned should determine how much sympathy you're entitled to.

Quite right mate. Tyson has been used and abused from the age of 13, even Cus D'amato was using him after a fashion, although he was a lot more civial about it, and actually treated mike like a human being.

Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton also screwed him, when they knew that Jimmy was dying, they tried to get Tyson to sign his life away to Cayton.

Then along comes Don King, and then the the Givens clan to administer the coup-de-gras, and they also manage to get Mike on the sort of drugs which are normally only given to patients in mental institutions.

Is it any wonder Mike isn't the most well adjusted of men? Sure, so he spunked all his money, but you know what they say, easy come, easy go, and Mike made too much money way too young to know it's value.

nickd · Post by **nickd** » 15 Jul 2004, 10:56

Kilburn wrote:Isn't 007 talking about Williams? Either way I don't agree that how much money you've earned should determine how much sympathy you're entitled to.

Yeah I was on about Williams.

Same can be said for Tyson though! I think he's just a very troubled interview but cant feel much sympathy for someone who has earned that many millions!

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 11:52

I think Danny is a far happier man than Mike.

Chris the fighter · Post by **Chris the fighter** » 15 Jul 2004, 11:55

Danny is too nice to be a fighter, he's not mean enough. And lets face it Tyson even though he is 38 he has not lost his mean streak at all. At some point he is going to catch up with Williams and what happens next depends I think on his state of mind. I think that Tyson will win the fight by KO but it would be a nice surprise if Williams proved me wrong.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 15 Jul 2004, 12:04

I don't think Tyson is as mean as he once was, he does seem to have mellowed, however, Danny is standing between him and two or three major paydays which will set him up for life. You know what they say about a dog and his bone.