Liam Williams is doing his job to sell his title challenge of Demetrius Andrade on Saturday in Hollywood, Fla., saying among other things that he will stop the unbeaten champion around midway through the fight.
And he probably believes it. Williams (23-2-1 18 KOs) has improved considerably since back-to-back losses to Liam Smith in 2017, winning seven consecutive fights. He’s evolved into a good all-around boxer.
Here’s the thing, though: Now he has to back up his words against one of the most confounding fighters in the world, a strapping boxing savant with an awkward style who also happens to be lefthanded.
“It’s one thing to be hyping yourself up and the fight,” Andrade said. “But you got to be concerned with what you are saying and back it up because at the end of the day, I don’t have two losses, I have never lost. They call him ‘The Machine’, but when I am done with him, he’ll be ‘The Rust Bucket.’
“You’re going to see the same you always see from me – a solid game plan, dominance, landing big shots, an all-around great performance and giving people what they have been missing, the sweet science.”
Andrade (29-0, 18 KOs) expects a good effort from Williams. He simply doesn’t believe the Welshman has the ability to hand him his first loss.
“I don’t think he’s going to just lay down with all the s— talking he’s been doing,” Andrade said, “but when you finally get here, it’s different. Now you have to fight, and Liam is not going to stop my train. I expect him to bring the fight because this is his opportunity, but at the end of the day, he’ll be able to say, ‘I lost to Demetrius Andrade.’
“Everyone says that they are going to do this and that with me, but reality bites, and when I touch them, they fall all around the ring and go running. It’s hard to hit me, they always end the night losing and saying, ‘Wow, you are better than we think.’”
Andrade last fought in January of last year, when he stopped Luke Keeler in nine rounds in the third defense of his title. Williams, coming off a first-round knockout of Andrew Robinson in October, will be fighting for a major title for the first time.
We’ll see whether Williams’ ability matches his words.
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