Blues sensation Matt in debut for England

Matty Williams and Max McCracken with English heavyweight belt

MATTY Williams, the Birmingham City diehard who has emerged as one of the country’s big heavyweight hopes, is only days away from his England debut.

Having been crowned this country’s amateur super-heavyweight champ, the 20-year-old faces the best Scotland and Wales have to offer in the Tri Nations tournament.

The annual home nations competition runs from May 30 to June 1 in Cardiff. In preparation, Matty, a product of Acocks Green ABC, will attend an England squad session in Sheffield this weekend.

Williams said: “It’s a proud moment and the next step. I’ve always believed in myself, I train hard, I’m happy with what I’ve achieved through that hard work.”

Quite simply, Williams – a former council grass-cutter – has taken the amateur heavyweight scene by storm. Blues fans have seen their team romp to the first division title and now one of their own is mowing down all before him.

In a 37 bout career he has netted three national titles and pro promoters are monitoring his progress with interest.

He stands 6ft 3ins tall, weighs 16-and-a-half stone and is still growing. The lad possesses an engine that would do the Duracell Bunny proud, throwing punches virtually non-stop until the other fella is swamped.

Matty also has boxing friends in high places, with pro manager and trainer Max McCracken helping to guide the talent and former world amateur champ Frankie Gavin working his corner.

Acocks Green boss Craig Storer is another invaluable member of the team.

Wales has two fighters in the Tri-Nations – elite champ Jack Parkinson and Connor McCann. Scotland’s hopes rest on the broad shoulders of Mitchell Barton.

But they are up against a formidable fighting machine in Williams.

“He is making improvements all the time,” said McCracken, “and I think he is really going to make a statement in this tournament.

“This is just the beginning. It’s the age of him – he’s still a boy yet he’s going in with fully developed men and taking them apart. I see how good he is in the gym with all the top pros, he spars all of them.

“I don’t think we’ve seen anything like him for his age, certainly not in Birmingham. He is adding to his CV all the time.”

Matty’s dream is to fight for a major professional title at Birmingham City ground, St Andrew’s.

Don’t dismiss McCracken when he says matter-of-factly: “It’s doable.”