Troy Williamson Blasts Out Kieran Smith In Six, Wants Cheeseman Next

Troy Williamson Stops Kieran Smith, Proves He’s Ready to Take the Next Step In His Career

There are levels to this game called “boxing”. To achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a world champ, there are necessary steps that must happen. When it comes to boxers from England, before you fight a world champion, the goal is to win a domestic British title. That is the backdrop and context for the critical British domestic fight between unbeaten upstarts Troy Williamson and Kieran Smith at the York Hall in Bethnal, England. Their twelve-round junior middleweight contest is a final eliminator for an opportunity at the British 154-pound belt, currently held by Ted Cheeseman.

Williamson comes into the fight more ballyhooed. With eleven wins by KO in his previous sixteen bouts, he has earned a reputation as someone who packs plenty of punch to go with his skills. Having scored only seven KOs in his previous 16 bouts, Smith is without question a boxer. Tall for the division at 6’2”, the 27-year-old from Greenrigg, Scotland likes to use his height, long limbs, and foot movement to frustrate his opponents from the outside.

Both men are hungry and want to take it to the next level. You have the power and aggression of Williamson versus the cool and precision of Smith. This fight has the look of a competitive clash of styles.

NOT THE PRETTIEST AFFAIR

In facing a taller and longer foe, you would think that Williamson (16-0-1, 12 KOs) would be the aggressor in an attempt to get inside. That was exactly the case. He was on the attack from the opening bell trying to get inside the long levers of Smith (16-1, 7 KOs). Though he was able to make it an up-close affair, he was finding difficulty getting off with shots when he had the taller southpaw on the ropes.

Smith was doing the cleaner and better work on the inside. He did an excellent job of keeping a tight guard, then getting off with short uppercuts and hooks. The Scottish fighter had the advantage in the center of the ring during the first five rounds of the fight.

HOW THINGS CAN CHANGE

Then in the sixth, the power of Williamson showed itself in a big way. Early in the round, a right hand seemed to bother Smith. With 1:45 to go in the round, another right hand by Williamson badly hurt his opponent. A follow-up salvo had Smith badly hurt and down on the canvas. Referee Bob Williams stepped in and waved a halt to the bout with 1:28 left in the round.

After the fight, Williamson called for a match against Ted Cheeseman. Based on the power displayed against Smith, the fighter who calls himself “Trojan”, certainly has the punch, the strength, and the desire to compete.

By: Michael Wilson Jr.

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