Cleveland Williams

Its funny that some here keep bringing up the Folley fight as this impressive win for Terrell and somehow proof of Williams earlier win against him being special. Has anyone here seen Terrell-Folley? I have. Its nothing special. The 6'6" Terrell consistently smothers his height (his biggest advantage) by fighting almost stooped and in close and nullifies his reach by consistently infighting. He made the fight much harder than he had to because as lazy and dispassionate as Folley was Terrell could have easily jabbed his head off and made an easy night of it. Instead it was a fairly pedestrian, workmanlike fight with Folley rarely ever showing any fire and Terrell still showing the holes in his style that he had yet to plug but always able to stay slightly ahead of Folley based on little more than activity. Some of you guys see a name on a record on boxrec and equate that with more meaning than it really has. Yes that win meant something and it helped a still developing prospect in Terrell move up the rankings but until youve seen the fight dont sit here and pretend that it was some breakout dynamic performance. It wasnt. In fact every fighter who had beaten Folley to that point had done so more impressively than Terrell. And again, it took place AFTER Williams beat Terrell. When you beat a guy you dont get credit for everything he does after you beat him. Plenty of fighters improve and Terrell certainly did.

 

I might need to watch more Tod Herring because he looked pretty unimpressive in that one.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmG_gR576EA

 

He may have had all the strengths that you listed, but on the flipside, his defense was rather poor, his chin just so-so, and he had a tendency to just stalk after opponents, looking to get in a big left hook without properly setting up his attack.

As far as the potential opponents that you listed, I can't agree that he should be clearly favored over all of them. He deserves to be favored over the lower tier/fringe contenders like London, but he would be no better than 50-50, or perhaps even a slight underdog, against the likes of Lavorante, Folley, Jones, Cleroux, and Mildenberger IMO.

 

50-50 is the most generously logical chance anyone could give Williams against even a weak a top ten.

Williams had talent but it did not bare much fruit even when he stepped up into modest level. Everything else did not match his punch. Sometimes you get punchers that just need more time, too much room and more advantages over opposition than a better opponent will allow to land his best punch. And Williams was one of these. He did clip Liston but like a fighter with one talent that he cant make the most of (at a better level) Williams anticipation for and reactions within an exchange were of a lower level. He had the speed to get a punch off but not speed to get out of the way.