News broke on Wednesday that Ted Cheeseman’s next defence of his British super-welterweight title would be against Troy Williamson.
The champion’s promoter Eddie Hearn tweeted that Matchroom had won the purse bids to stage the fight and said it would take place this autumn on DAZN.
Williamson (16-0-1, 12 KOs) earned the right to face Cheeseman (17-2-1, 10 KOs) after winning a British title final eliminator against Scotland’s Kieran Smith in April. Now, after five-and-a-half years as a professional, the Queensberry Promotions boxer has the biggest fight of his career to look forward to.
“I’m very pleased,” Williamson told Boxing Social. “It’s a great fight. Everyone’s all over it. It’s all over social media and had a lot of hype, which it deserves because it’s a real fight.”
The 29-year-old from Darlington said in a press release three months ago that a fight between himself and Cheesman would be a ‘war’. His opinion hasn’t really changed.
“At some stage, it will catch fire and it will be very exciting,” he said.
“Me and Ted, I believe, have got a similar sort of style. We can box and we can fight when we need to. I do think it’s a really interesting fight. When it does catch fire, it will be very exciting.”
Williamson had more good news not long after the story of the Cheeseman fight had broken. His management team MTK Global had announced a contract extension for their super-welterweight contender. These are the rewards he’s reaping after years of graft, he says.
“I’ve done it the hard way. Started off on local shows selling tickets and now I’ve got this fight on a massive platform.”
Williamson certainly came to the attention of boxing fans when he beat Smith in April. Billed as a 50-50 fight, the aggression of the Englishman was clear to see from the opening bell and a right hand early in the first round certainly woke up the Scot.
“I caught him in the first round and he felt the power then,” Williamson recalled. “I just knew it was a matter of time that when I did catch him clean it would be game over.”
By round six, it was game over for Smith who was ahead in the fight on some people’s cards online before Williamson’s power proved too much. The first minute of the sixth saw Williamson throw a right-hand which BT Sport co-commentator Richie Woodhall described as ‘the best shot he’s thrown so far’. Thirty seconds later, Smith was wobbled and Williamson didn’t need a second invitation, launching a full-on assault that saw the previously unbeaten lefty stumble to the canvas and referee Bob Williams waving the contest off.
“Kieran is a very good fighter,” said Williamson. “He’s nightmare for anybody. A big, slick southpaw. He’s very awkward and very fit. I think for 11st, I’m big, I’m massive anyway and I think once I connect with anybody, doesn’t matter who it is, they’re going to know about it.”
Williamson believes that his challenge for the Lonsdale Belt, where he will be crossing over from BT to DAZN for the night, will take place around September or October and hopes for an announcement soon. When the fight does come around, Cheeseman will be having his fifth British title fight. So far, the Londoner’s record reads two wins, one loss and one draw. Experience looks to be in his favour. Williamson dismissed such a thought and referred to an interview Cheeseman did with Boxing Social earlier in the year where the champion spoke about having an advantage in future fights against his rivals.
“When he says experience is going to play a part in the future, what does he mean by that? Does that mean hard fights and he’s battled through them? I’d rather not have had the hard fights. I’ve been around. I know how to do the rounds. I don’t believe the experience will pay dividends.
“It feels like he’s been around for years. He’s been in really hard fights. Even with the journeymen I’ve fought, like I said earlier, I’ve done it the hard way. These journeymen aren’t there to be blasted out in one or two rounds. They’re good learning fights.”
The 154lbs scene in Great Britain is a bustling one right now with battles around every corner. A win for Williamson, while great for his career and making him the owner of what he describes as ‘the prettiest belt in boxing’, will give his coach Craig Carney something that he has always wanted, as the fighter explained.
“Every British boxer dreams to win a British title. My coach is an amateur coach as well and he’s had champions from minors to schoolboys to youth level. He’s always said he’d love to have a professional British champion so hopefully I’ll be the first to get that for him.”
Main image: Queensberry Promotions.