Welliver vs Williams June 28, 2012

its funny and sad that a guy with 63 fights is getting credit for "stepping up" to fight a 40 year old sherman williams who has 11 losses and by the time they step into the ring will have been inactive for 18 months or more..... just saying.....i

is there not a ****ing active boxer around maybe a little bit younger??? are you serious????????? :rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl

 

Great fight for Macau. Sherman is a tough dude still. Another 12 rounds to add to the streak. 369 and counting!

 

Fighting me would be a step up for Welliver. I just wish he'd stop complaining that no one will fight him, when everyone knows that the fights are there and the deals could be made, if he wanted it. He's just hoping that 20 wins over tomato cans will count for one win over a live body.

Shame on you Mr Welliver.
atschatschatschatschatsch

 

Trust me: even at age 40, and with 11 losses, Sherman Williams is regarded as a tough clubfighter who should not be taken lightly.

As for Welliver stepping up after 63 fights, that's not remarkable. He's a boxer who turned pro early, learning his craft in the small clubs of the USA. He didn't have the benefit of a big amateur background, and wasn't one of those hot prospects signed early by big promoters. Guys like Welliver compensate by fighting often in small venues...that's how they get their experience.

There was a time in boxing -- as recently as the '70s and '80s -- when many top pros took Welliver's route. WBA Lightweight champion Sean O'Grady, for example, turned pro at 16, and fought about 60 or 70 small time club fights before moving up to face world-level opposition.

Joe Bugner, the long-term top heavyweight of the Ali era, is another example. Bugner turned pro at age 17 after only 16 amateur fights. For the next 3 to 4 years, he learned his craft fighting often in small clubs in England. By the time Bugner won recognition as a legitimate contender in 1973, he had had about 50 pro fights.

 

So who's Mitchell fighting? I guess HBO wouldn't approve Welliver.

 

You are misunderstanding things. You need to look at the caliber of Williams's opposition before you make judgments about his many losses.

Williams actually has a potent left-hook; he has KO power in that blow.

All things considered, Williams is a good "gatekeeper." He's no world-beater, not by any stretch. But he's a top-of-the-line clubfighter who is rugged, can punch, and who is strong.

Who are the other names you mentioned? I suspect that they are probably unrealistic, either because they're locked into a promotional contract with someone (thus unavailable on reasonable terms), or because they represent needlessly risky fights that most up-and-coming prospects don't take.

 

They're talking about Ruslan Chagaev, although there are reasons why this fight may be unworkable.

For one, Chagaev has hepatitis, and cannot fight anywhere except Germany. It's unrealistic to expect that Mitchell's handlers will bring him to Germany for a fight. That's courting a robbery.

Two, Chagaev -- despite being on the downside -- may have a little too much savvy for the greenish Mitchell at this point. Taking this fight is a judgment call for Mitchell's handlers, and it might be wise for them to stand back at this early stage.

 

According to Boxrec, Chauncy has a fight lined up on July 5 in Auckland on the Monte Barrett/Shane Cameron undercard. So is this not happening then?

Also the WBO have confirmed that Haye/Chisora will be for the WBO International title so god knows what trinket this one will be for.

 

Welliver vs Malik Scott might make sense pretty soon, especially if Scott gets an alpha rating.

 

yeah i couldnt believe how the amount of utter garbage ogrady faced and faced often....
but i get your point about williams, ive been around the game for a long time...yes williams can hit, most heavyweights can punch hard and be dangerous early... but his record shows his wins are against no hopers and his losses have been against boxers with a pules....he is 40, and inactive....at this point chauncy knows how to fight apparently from what the few people here because he was "close to fighting vitali" so you cant have it both ways saying its a learning thing while others are saying hes ready for top 10. which he may be ready....but fight a guy thats at least active and top 100 for ****s sake...

 

The way I see it, 2 or 3 wins over Williams caliber fighters will give Chauncy the credibility to face a real contender on TV. I think his priority at this point is to move beyond the level of opposition he's been fighting recently.

I think Williams is an ideal step up: tough but very beatable.

O'Grady is an interesting parallel. He went 54-1 in his first 55 fights, with all the wins being over "ho hopers," and the one loss being a KO defeat against the only credible fighter he faced: Danny Lopez.

In his 56th pro fight, O'Grady finally stepped up, KO'ing the burned out former world champ Romeo Anaya (42-13-1). After that, O'Grady KO'd tough Japanese clubfighter Shig Fukiyama (27-13). These weren't earth turning wins by any measure, but the opponents marked an upward step from the "hobos" O'Grady had been practicing his craft on earlier.

After beating Anaya and Fukiyama, O'Grady was ready for a real fight, and that came against fellow fringe contender Gonzalo Montellano (25-0-1) who was young, tough, and on the verge of cracking the world ratings. O'Grady won a hard fought decision, and this gave him genuine credibility.

After Montellano, O'Grady moved on to fight world champs Jim Watt and Hilmer Kenty.

I believe that Welliver, right now, is at the same stage O'Grady was when the latter fought Anaya and Fukiyama. Sterner tests will follow Williams.

 

Welliver vs. Scott would be such a big step up for both they'd need to share a ladder and lend each other a hoisting hand.

 

Sad as that sounds, I beleive both are dreaming for the opportunity to fight better opposition, but like Kenmore reminds us, the risk/reward factor is not there for getting them bigger fights.:think