Williams Holds Off A Valiant Smith

Jr middleweight contender Julian “J-Rock” Williams (24-1-1, 15 KOs) scored a ten round unanimous decision over former IBF jr middleweight world champion Ishe Smith (29-9, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Smith was cut over the left eye by an accidental headbutt in round two. The 27-year-old J-Rock was faster and hit harder, but the crafty Smith, 12 years his senior, put his punches together in relentless combinations. Smith was cut again over the same eye by a seventh round headclash. The fighters battled hard to the end. The scorecards were 99-91, 98-92, 97-93 for the Philadelphia native.

Williams remained in control in the early parts of the middle rounds but slowly seemed to fatigue. Meanwhile, Smith poured it on with a valiant assault to close each round and kept the pro-Smith crowd in the fight.

Although Williams was the younger, faster and stronger fighter he appeared to allow the Vegas native to get off far more than he should have. The 10th and final stanza was symbolic of how the entire fight went as Williams started off quick with crisp counters and well-placed hooks but gave way to Smith’s gutsy assault as he refused to lay down.

It was evident that the 39-year-old Smith is no longer at the peak of his athletic ability. However, his gritty determination wouldn’t allow him to give in against an opponent who won in the end and was clearly the better athlete. In the end the scorecards didn’t do his effort justice at all….