Troy Williamson Retains British Junior Middleweight Title Over Mason Cartwright
At the Newcastle Arena in Newcastle, England, rising British contender Troy “Trojan” Williamson took (18-0-1, 13 KOs) on Mason Cartwright (17-3-1, 7 KOs) in a twelve-round contest. Williamson came into this fight on a roll, having TKO’d six of his last seven opponents. In his previous outing, the 30-year-old stopped Ted Cheeseman to win the British junior middleweight title. The win elevated him in ranking as he’s currently rated ninth by the IBF and twelfth by the WBA at 154 pounds.
He put that British title on the line against a Cartwright who is all-heart. Understanding that he was fighting for the British belt, the 29-year-old was ready for this one.
AN EARLY SURPRISE
Despite his prodigious power, Williamson is a slow starter. He’s also not the best defensive fighter, often staying on the centerline and keeping the left hand too low. That liability showed itself early in the second round when Cartwright put him down on his knees with an overhand right.
That seemed to wake Williamson up, who came out firing in the third. He upped his attack and fought with more intensity. But Cartwright was right giving as good as he received. He was able to consistently find a home for the overhand right. This one quickly escalated into a terrific battle.
FINDING HIS RHYTHM
The middle rounds saw Williamson getting the jab going, which helped create openings for further shots. He was also winning the exchanges. Cartwright was full of vigor. By the end of nine rounds, you got the sense his energy was starting to sap away. However, the fight seemed tight entering the last three rounds as both warriors put it all on the line. At the final bell, the Newcastle crowd cheered in approval of what they just witnessed.
Despite what seemed like a nip and tuck battle, the judges scored the fight in favor of Williamson by a rather wide unanimous decision (114-113, 116-111, 117-112). While one can certainly argue that Williamson deserved the verdict, the 116-111 and 117-112 scores did not indicate how well Cartwright performed. Following the bout, ringside observers were already suggesting that these warriors need to go at it again.
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By: Michael Wilson Jr.
