Matty beats Bulgaria KO king to bag gold
Matty Williams with mentor Max McCracken….winner in the Netherlands
UNSTOPPABLE Birmingham super-heavy Matty Williams has notched-up another gold, this time at one of Europe’s most prestigious tournaments.
He triumphed for Team GB at the Eindhoven Box Cup, in the Netherlands. Since joining the GB squad, Williams has now won five of six tournaments, his only loss coming against the current world number one.
That is some batting average. And don’t forget Matty is only 21 – a mere baby by heavyweight standards.
At the Eindhoven event, which attracted over 150 fighters, Williams proved too much for first opponent Dennis Ohio, raised in London but boxing for Germany.
Ohio simply couldn’t live with Williams’ trademark incessant pressure and was hanging on in the last. He took a count, but managed to make it to the final bell.
He started well, nicking the opening session, but, by the third, was in full retreat.
Matty’s biggest test came against another German, Delil Yazagan, who never stopped throwing punches. Williams accuracy proved decisive as he came through on a split decision.
In Monday’s final, Williams was pitted against big punching Bulgarian Kiril Georgiev, a man who’d made a statement in the semis by stopping Ireland’s hope.
And Georgiev started aggressively against Williams, a product of Acocks Green amateur boxing club. He bagged the first, then began to flag badly. Georgiev’s gumshield came out three times and he lost a point for holding. By the end, he was in survival mode and did well to last the distance. Scores for Williams were unanimous.
The future appears very bright for Williams, a former council grass cutter, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics his ultimate target.
There’s also the Commonwealth Games, staged in Glasgow in July. If selected, he must surely be considered a warm favourite for gold. “I can’t see anyone beating him there,” Max McCracken, pro coach at Acocks Green, said. “Matty is something special, I’ve said it all along.”
Before that, in June, there’s the world boxing championships in China. Winning there really would be a statement.
The pro boxing scene is currently raving about heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma. Don’t be surprised if Matty Williams causes a similar stir when he decides to turn over.