Julian Williams does not hold his tongue on one of the biggest issues plaguing the sport!
On May 11, under the hot lights of the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, Julian “J-Rock” Williams shocked the boxing world.
There, Williams became the IBF, IBO and WBA super welterweight champion, participated in the leading candidate for Fight of the Year and put the division on notice. It was a thrilling night for all those who witnessed it.
Prior to this electrifying showdown with now former champion Jarrett “Swift” Hurd (23-1, 16 KO’s), Williams was a severe underdog. Throughout the build-up for this intriguing match-up, most in the media treated the outcome as a foregone conclusion.
You see, roughly two and a half years ago, Williams suffered an eye-catching knockout loss to Jermall “Hit-Man” Charlo. Ever since that fifth round stoppage, “J-rock” has felt short changed in how the boxing media has portrayed him. This victory gives Williams his fifth straight win since the Charlo loss. Following his redemptive win, Williams gave a more personal account on how he felt about the matter.
“Boxing is getting ruined these days because every time someone takes a loss it’s the end of their career and it’s because of the boxing media.
“I’m being serious, y’all going to have to tighten up!”
Bias in Coverage
There is far more than a grain of truth in what the new Philly champion was saying. Countless individuals who represent boxing insiders and just casual fans have taken issue with how many in the media cover the sport.
Beyond the written articles and slanted predictions, many times even the on-air commentary is rife with bias and misinformation. Williams did not fail to weigh-in on that topic as well.
“I think, to a degree, boxing gotta tighten up. Not just boxing, it’s not just the boxing media, it’s the networks, it’s the commentating. The commentating is so bad these days.
“What they do is they persuade the viewers with bad commentating and the casuals. Ninety percent of people watching don’t know what their watching.”
Ideally, if more fighters and personalities of note continue to chime in on the sticky subject, some meaningful change will happen.
Regardless of what others do, however, the clearly determined and passionate Julian Williams will continue to serve as an advocate for neutral boxing coverage and commentary.
By: Bakari Simpson
