Danny Williams on the Ottke-Reid bill in Germany
Posted: 28 Nov 2003, 13:25
British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Danny Williams marks time in a non-title eight rounder with Germany's Ralf Packheiser on the big Nuremberg bill in Germany on December 13.
"I just want to keep busy," said Danny. "I'm training really hard. I had just a few days off after I knocked Michael Sprott out and I just want to keep sharp."
Williams was scheduled to meet Packheiser at the York Hall in October, but pulled out an hour before the start of the show for which, inevitably, he attracted criticism. His then trainer, Adam Booth (Danny is now back with Jim McDonnell, though he is still doing conditioning work with Booth), said in his defence at the time: "Danny desperately wanted to fight. Everything was fine until he started to feel ill at the weigh-in. He did weigh-in, but did not feel right. On the morning of the fight, he called a friend to say he was thinking of pulling out of the fight, but even then in his mind he still wanted to go through with it.
"He then visited the doctor at 4pm to find out what was wrong. The doctor told him he was suffering from flu-like symptoms and advised him not to fight. He called me at 4.50pm to say he was pulling out and I then called promoter Jess Harding.
"I also told Danny that pulling out meant he would be personally responsible for any compensation. He entirely agreed. For the record, Danny paid Ralf Packheiser, personally, a third of his purse, plus all expenses for him and his team.
"I want to put the record straight because I have read some pretty disparaging things over the last few days from people that have made up their own minds and do not know Danny at all. All these people had to do was pick the phone up and call me."
Williams is still waiting on Herbie Hide to accept a long-mooted showdown, but, the Brixton man confessed after watching Hide's fifth round dismissal of Alex Vassilev at the Alexandra Palace in October, he believes the fight is not destined to happen. The unpredictable Hide is said to be considering an IBF or even European heavyweight title option.
Of course, Williams has a pending option himself. He has been ordered to defend his British and Commonwealth titles in a rematch with Reading's Michael Sprott after the contentious ending to their September 27 fight in Reading where Sprott was knocked out in the fifth round while protesting to referee Terry O'Connor about low blows. Sprott had also been floored late in the fourth after doing exactly the same thing. The Boxing Board, after an official complaint from the challenger's manager, Dean Powell, accepted that low blows did contribute to Sprott's defeat.
"We are ordering another fight between the two," confirmed Board General Secretary Simon Block. The rematch is expected to take place in February.
So Danny gets the chance to tick over and stay sharp against the 32-year-old Packhesier, who enters the ring with a 12-3 (6) record, but has yet to box at all this year. He contested the vacant WBF heavyweight title with Uzbekistan's Alexander Jakob in Munich last year and was unanimously outpointed (Jakob is based in Germany, which probably explains how he got the nod there), but bounced back with a six-round points win over compatriot Ergin Solmaz in July 2002, which remains his last outing. So the big Berliner (he stands 6' 5") will hardly be fight-hardened and has also been found wanting when stepping up a level. As well as the Jakob defeat, he was beaten in eight rounds (technical decision) by European title challenger René Monse and early in his career on points to the then unbeaten Turhan Altunkaya. It looks like another step-up against Williams will also find him out. Danny can force a stoppage by the fifth round.
"I just want to keep busy," said Danny. "I'm training really hard. I had just a few days off after I knocked Michael Sprott out and I just want to keep sharp."
Williams was scheduled to meet Packheiser at the York Hall in October, but pulled out an hour before the start of the show for which, inevitably, he attracted criticism. His then trainer, Adam Booth (Danny is now back with Jim McDonnell, though he is still doing conditioning work with Booth), said in his defence at the time: "Danny desperately wanted to fight. Everything was fine until he started to feel ill at the weigh-in. He did weigh-in, but did not feel right. On the morning of the fight, he called a friend to say he was thinking of pulling out of the fight, but even then in his mind he still wanted to go through with it.
"He then visited the doctor at 4pm to find out what was wrong. The doctor told him he was suffering from flu-like symptoms and advised him not to fight. He called me at 4.50pm to say he was pulling out and I then called promoter Jess Harding.
"I also told Danny that pulling out meant he would be personally responsible for any compensation. He entirely agreed. For the record, Danny paid Ralf Packheiser, personally, a third of his purse, plus all expenses for him and his team.
"I want to put the record straight because I have read some pretty disparaging things over the last few days from people that have made up their own minds and do not know Danny at all. All these people had to do was pick the phone up and call me."
Williams is still waiting on Herbie Hide to accept a long-mooted showdown, but, the Brixton man confessed after watching Hide's fifth round dismissal of Alex Vassilev at the Alexandra Palace in October, he believes the fight is not destined to happen. The unpredictable Hide is said to be considering an IBF or even European heavyweight title option.
Of course, Williams has a pending option himself. He has been ordered to defend his British and Commonwealth titles in a rematch with Reading's Michael Sprott after the contentious ending to their September 27 fight in Reading where Sprott was knocked out in the fifth round while protesting to referee Terry O'Connor about low blows. Sprott had also been floored late in the fourth after doing exactly the same thing. The Boxing Board, after an official complaint from the challenger's manager, Dean Powell, accepted that low blows did contribute to Sprott's defeat.
"We are ordering another fight between the two," confirmed Board General Secretary Simon Block. The rematch is expected to take place in February.
So Danny gets the chance to tick over and stay sharp against the 32-year-old Packhesier, who enters the ring with a 12-3 (6) record, but has yet to box at all this year. He contested the vacant WBF heavyweight title with Uzbekistan's Alexander Jakob in Munich last year and was unanimously outpointed (Jakob is based in Germany, which probably explains how he got the nod there), but bounced back with a six-round points win over compatriot Ergin Solmaz in July 2002, which remains his last outing. So the big Berliner (he stands 6' 5") will hardly be fight-hardened and has also been found wanting when stepping up a level. As well as the Jakob defeat, he was beaten in eight rounds (technical decision) by European title challenger René Monse and early in his career on points to the then unbeaten Turhan Altunkaya. It looks like another step-up against Williams will also find him out. Danny can force a stoppage by the fifth round.
) i want Reid-Ottke! 