Billy Williams - Canning Town

[palooka]

How's this man getting on? Does anyone know?

I had heard he was a really good boxer in his day and a rumour that he still had a go.

[hurlock]

Bill the Bomb.

[palooka]

I thought he was very well known in the 1970's' he was supposed to have a hard punch and to have a lot of ability. Not wanting to muck rake; I wanted to know if he were British title level or not.

[bennie]

I thought he was very well known in the 1970's' he was supposed to have a hard punch and to have a lot of ability. Not wanting to muck rake; I wanted to know if he were British title level or not.

The only Billy Williams I remember is the one billed out of Barking, a light-heavyweight who boxed for Repton but turned pro in the States in 1972, where he won all nine of his fights (six early), before making his way back and remaining unbeaten until he dropped an either-way decision to Shoreditch's Johnny Wall at the legendary Shoreditch Town Hall in an eight-rounder in March 1974. Billy avenged it a month later at the Albert Hall, on a clear eight-round decision, and had one more win before dropping off the radar at the age of just 22 with a record of 15-1 (8).
Had he kept winning, he may have been in the running for a crack at the British light-heavyweight title made vacant by Chris Finnegan in 1976. Domestically, Williams was top 10 when he said goodbye.

[palooka]

Thank you bennie

[bennie]

Of course, you and I both know why he disappeared at 22.

[palooka]

There are whispers that he'd been a bit naughty bennie

[johnnygreaves]

There are whispers that he'd been a bit naughty bennie

last I heard , bill had a stroke or heart attack. Round these parts , he's a bit of a legend. Very naughty. Heard storys about the bloke that would make your toes curl. Though saying that I sort of know the guy & he seemed ok. I also know guys that upset him. All. Wish they hadn't

[bennie]

The guy could fight, all right. He said of his stint in the States he was shown several different styles - a complete boxing education - which meant he could switch if one style was not working for him in a fight. British fighters are invariably taught one style and one style only. Billy cited a 10-rounder Ralph Charles had with an unheralded but experienced American-Mexican by the name of Raul Soriano at the Albert Hall in 1970. Charles was a world class British welterweight on the verge of a shot at the great Jose Napoles but his usual pressure tactics got him nowhere with the counterpunching Soriano, yet Charles carried on plodding into counters, doing exactly the same thing in the 10th round as he had in the first. Soriano took a clear verdict.
I remember watching Ross Minter against the American Freddy Curiel in that one-off USA vs UK Contender thing in Newcastle a few years ago, and Minter really hurt the aggressive Curiel early in the fight and nearly stopped him. It looked for all the world like Minter would go on to 'boss' Curiel but the American began to stick and move and outboxed Minter up to the eighth and final round when he nailed Ross with a big right to force a stoppage. Either way, Curiel would have won. He was well ahead on the cards.
Another example is that of Tony Sibson, coming off a huge win over Chicago puncher John Collins in the States in the 1980s (two rounds), who then took on someone called Don Lee, a mere stepping stone for Sibson for a possible return with Hagler. Sibson came out and bossed the first round, so Lee turned southpaw and Sibson was lost - and he lost the fight. You can say all this, and more, for Mayweather-Hatton.
The versatility of the Americans stands out against our boys.

[mickey1975]

I was at Minter-Curiel and i am pretty sure Ross was ahead when he got caught.Also,Bennie,you are making a bit of a generalization there.We could all quote different examples of boxers from all over the world adapting in a fight and winning.I have never held the belief the Americans are better than everyone else,they just have(had) more talent to choose from.

[bennie]

Curiel would have won a split decision, even if Minter had made it to the bell after the knockdown.

[m1kee50]

http://boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f ... s#p1084037

[mickey1975]

Curiel would have won a split decision, even if Minter had made it to the bell after the knockdown.

O.K. Not exactly well ahead on the cards then...

[Giancarlo]

Curiel would have won a split decision, even if Minter had made it to the bell after the knockdown.

O.K. Not exactly well ahead on the cards then...

Artistic licence. Bennie is well known for it.

[mickey1975]

Curiel would have won a split decision, even if Minter had made it to the bell after the knockdown.

O.K. Not exactly well ahead on the cards then...

Artistic licence. Bennie is well known for it.

I know,and im not having a go at Bennie here,but.....there is no need for it on here.Most of us 'know' the fighters and have actually been to a lot of the fights,we're not casuals.

[happyhammer64]

R.I.P billy williams, your passing is a sad day for me you was a great friend to me and you will be missed. xx

[peter1948]

Ralph Charles who was British welter king in the 70's was the best welter in Britain at that time and did in fact fight the great Jose Napoles at Wembley in the late 70's but got stopped.
We then had the young John H Stracey taking over as the best welter and we all know how he got on with Napoles.