Michael Williams Jr v John Bauza: The Battle of the Undefeated Prospects
Typically at the beginning of a young fighter’s professional career, they will fight below-average to sub-par competition. It is called the bring-along process. At some point, a team will finally move their fighter into a good fight against another undefeated fighter. This is where we are with John “El Terrible” Bauza (15-0, 6ko) and “Boy Wonder” Michael Williams Jr (19-0, 12ko).
Both fighters are putting their undefeated record on the line of the undercard featuring former unified lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko against former IBF champion Richard Commey.
JOHN BAUZA
El Terrible is a gifted Puerto Rican fighter with a good amateur background. He has a record of 178-8 with noticeable tournament accolades, winning the Regional Golden Gloves, Ringside World Championships, and USA Junior Olympic Qualifier.
Bauza would go on to become the number one rated 141-pound fighter in the U.S. It is not surprising that legendary boxing promotional company Top Rank immediately scooped him up as an addition to their stable with other talented Puerto Rican fighters.
The young man would turn pro in 2016 with a statement-making first-round knockout. Boxing fans got a glimpse of the young man’s potential in his most recent outing. Bauza stole the show with a spectacular second-round destruction of Christon Edwards, on the undercard of Shakur Stevenson versus Jeremia Nakathila back on June 12.
MICHAEL WILLIAMS JR.
Williams Jr is a young talent that has been growing under the watchful eye of legendary fighter Roy Jones Jr. The Boy Wonder first came into the minds of boxing fans by trolling WBC lightweight champion Devin Haney back in 2020. Some boxing fans may also remember his recent social media beef with another rising prospect named Vito Mielnicki Jr.
In 2018, at the tender age of 18, 3kingsboxing interviewed the young man fighting out of North Carolina alongside his father, Michael Williams Sr . The young man has some amateur and minor professional accolades of his own. He held an amateur record of 35-13, is a two-time Bert Sugar champion, and received a ranking of as high as top 10 in the country. Regarding his professional accomplishments, Williams holds a few minor titles to his name. Boy Wonder is the youngest two-time WBF belt holder, a UNBC titlist, and most recently, the winner of the NBA (National Boxing Association) title.
GET READY FOR ACTION!
Team Williams is well aware of the criticism they have received for the level of opposition they have fought. Hence why they jumped at the opportunity to prove themselves against Bauza. 3kingsboxing caught up with Williams Jr, who expressed what fans can expect in the upcoming fight.
“I am excited for this fight. It is my time to show the world what Michael Williams Jr is all about. So, I am definitely excited, and it will be an entertaining fight… It could be an early night, who knows what will happen! I am unpredictable.”
Fans can watch these two undefeated prospects square off on the undercard preliminaries live at Madison Square Garden on ESPN+ on December 11.
By: Garrisson Bland
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