Jarrett Hurd will look to defend his unified status for the second time!
May 11 will feature a junior middleweight title clash between Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (23-0, 16KOs) vs Julian “J Rock” Williams (26-1, 16KOs).
Both fighters are high character guys in the sport. Each is dedicated to the sport and puts out consistently good effort. Hurd has been on an amazing run with three out of four of his last bouts. He earned wins against Austin Trout, WBC Champion Tony Harrison, and former WBA champion Erislandy Lara.
Williams comes into this fight having won three consecutive fights since suffering a KO defeat against Jermall Charlo. The Philly native has been inconsistent in his comeback performances.
First, there was his suspiciously tough unanimous decision over former IBF champ Ishe Smith. Following next was a majority decision over Nathaniel Galimore. The Philadelphia fighter would then have a breakout performance in his most recent fight, a two-round knockout over Francisco Javier Castro.
Williams’ Strategy
The strategic elements of this fight are very straightforward because of the physical attributes each fighter will bring into the ring.
First, we look at “J-Rock”. As the smaller man, he’s going to need to be on the move to offset the constant pressure from the champion. He will look to start fast and exploit Hurd’s tendency to start slow. The champion is a pressure fighter and he uses his pressure and size to break you down as the fight progresses.
Hurd has supreme confidence in his stamina, durability, and mental toughness. These traits may bring out the best or worst in Williams as he has the “Philly Fighter” mentality.
“J Rock” has the tendency to live up to his name “Rock”, and this fight will require discipline. This is the lesson he hopefully took from his fight with Charlo. Williams was knocked down early in the fight and persisted to fight aggressively even though he hadn’t fully recovered.
Another habit that “J Rock” will need to correct is his recent tendency to get hit with overhand rights.
Both Smith and Galimore had success with that punch. Williams has shown a propensity lately of dropping his left hand and lingering in the pocket after landing his combinations. In this fight, the Philly fighter will need to be decisive and get in, land his work, and get out or clinch.
It’s important to keep Hurd stuck in first gear so he can’t get started. If “J Rock” can do that consistently he should be able to pull off the upset.
Hurd’s Strategy
Hurd’s strategy is simple. He needs to just be himself. “Swift” will need to start a little faster than he has lately and he needs to be a little more active with his lead hand.
He has a good jab when he uses it but, he tends to sometimes get a little too front foot-heavy, forcing him to shell up instead of creating off of his lead hand.
There are two simple corrections for this. First, fight in a slightly more neutral stance so he doesn’t lean in before establishing the jab. Second, occasionally take a half step out.
This will allow him to probe and pick without being in immediate danger. Hurd is huge for a junior middleweight and sometimes takes his strength and durability for granted. If the unified champion can make these adjustments, he can have a dominant performance.
Prediction
In conclusion, the obvious pick should be Jarrett “Swift” Hurd. He’s winning against top level competition and his confidence is sky high.
He’s also fighting someone who, while technically better, has a tendency to get into firefights and is vulnerable to Hurd’s money punch: the overhand right. It’s hard to call a stoppage here but, I expect to see it get real dicey down the stretch.
You may possibly see a late knockdown in a fight that’s going to probably be close on the scorecards. Look for a 7-5 or 8-4 type decision.
By: Corey Cunningham
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