Eddie Futch on Holman Williams

I'm a pretty big fan and booster of Holamn Williams.

I think he is probably the best pure boxer who ever lived, and the best defensive technician that existed. Just I cant prove this.

 

Great fighter. I've always loved Futch's words about the shadow boxing. Williams was a great fighter and it's too bad he died like he did poor and living in a gymnasium. One of the many fighters of that era who was treated cruelly by the establishment.

I've always got the sense that Williams was one of those guys who really enjoyed fighting. I read some of his comments in an old issue of the Ring that had belonged to my uncle where he talked about how he loved the thrill of being able to outthink and beat a quality opponent.

All I know is if Holman Williams were fighting today he already would have fought Miguel Cotto twice, Pacman four or five times, Sergio Martinez three times, and Hopkins once or twice to boot.

Those Murderers Row guys didn't know what it was to fear another man.

 

All the more reason to proclaim it, because it can't be disproved either. Flawless logic.

 

Any film of him? Shame if not

 

Never having seen Holman Williams [shame], I envision him like a later edition of Jack Britton,the amazing master boxer of the welterweights.
Great technique and durability....Joe Louis also raved about him, a chartered member of Murderers Row...Wow ,what I wouldn't give to see Holman Williams against Floyd Mayweather, both at their bests.Would solve a lot of questions. Old vs. New...

 

he is one reason, its good that we have 4 titles,

a champ cant just sit on his title,

today he would have been 2 time wbo welter champ
and current ibf middle weight champ

and very rich


but ohh yeah

back then was the golden years, thats why a legend like him had to end like that

 

There's still no footage of him then?!?!?! FFS!

 

There is no good reason to have 4 titles. There should be only ONE ...and every purist out there should cease and desist from acknowledging the nonsense. We are guilty of empowering those extortionists with their tin belts who have been hobbling boxing for 50 years.

I'm gonna begin with me. I've repented of my former belief that Duran won a fourth championship when he defeated Barkley. Duran beat Barkley who beat Hearns, which was impressive, but it wasn't for the throne. The throne was never filled between Leonard's retirement and Nunn's defeat of Kalambay.

Why wasn't it filled? Because the press and the fans took the myriad WBS's and their tin belts seriously instead of ignoring them. So the myriad "tin-belt champions" never fought the top man. Their claims and their belts were not legitimate -and the sooner we stand by that, the better boxing will get.

Anyway... back to Holman Williams...

Holman did hold artificial titles -the Colored Middleweight Title and the Negro Lightweight Title as well as a few state titles that I'd have to look up. However, despite the fierce rivalries he had with other members of Murderers' Row, he knew damn well that there was one throne in each division. His being ducked was unfortunate but the last thing we want to do is legitimize the tin belts out of misguided compassion. Corrupting the whole damn sport is worse.

 

NOT ALONE!

Williams is another example of just how great TOP fighters are, and there were many of them.

Elite, Greats and Very Goods fighters not much in it, especially from greater Era's.

 

Not me, and not me!

Holman was defeated by Cocoa Kid on March 27, 1942 at MSG on the undercard of Louis-Abe Simon. I may have been the third fight on a card of 6 and it was a six-rounder (a "fast one", say the reports). The Louis fight was filmed and the chances are decent that the Holman fight was filmed too. He and Louis were friends -and most of you know by now that Holman was his first trainer when Louis walked into the famed Brewster Gym in Detroit. Louis was known to work Holman's corner....

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NOT ALONE!

Williams is another example of just how great TOP fighters are, and there were many of them.

Elite, Greats and Very Goods fighters not much in it, especially from greater Era's.