A few weeks ago, at a meeting to discuss the upcoming junior middleweight title fight between champion Julian Williams and unsung challenger Jeison Rosario, Sampson Lewkowicz, Rosario’s promoter, put down a bold prediction.
“I told them (the people in the meeting) this isn’t going past six [rounds]. Rosario will stop [Williams],” Lewkowicz told Boxing Junkie. “Everyone looked at me like I was stupid.”
Williams, naturally, was heavily favored to win. How heavy? One sports book made him a 33-1 favorite, a reflection no doubt of the dominating fashion in which Williams defeated Jarrett Hurd last year to win his titles. Plus, contender Nathaniel Gallimore had knocked out Rosario in 2017; Williams easily outpointed Gallimore when they fought in 2018. No matter, for Lewkowicz, it was Rosario by early knockout.
“‘Oh, you’re joking,’ they said,” Lewkowicz recalled. “No! It’s not a joke. I’m telling you this guy ‘Banana’ Rosario will knock [Williams] out.”
And that’s exactly what happened. On Saturday night, in Williams’ hometown of Philadelphia, the relatively unknown Dominican stopped the incumbent in the fifth round to capture two belts. After a strong opening round for Williams, Rosario went to work in Round 2, connecting on some hard shots to the body and head, one of which opened up a cut over Williams’ left eye. In Round 5, Rosario landed a left hook that badly shook up Williams. Rosario added the finishing touches with a booming uppercut followed by a right and clean-up left hook before referee Benjy Esteves jumped in to stop the fight.
“The power of Rosario [made me confident],” Lewkowicz said. “Every fight he went to the other fighter’s backyard and it was too much pressure and he would make a mistake.”
Lewkowicz paused, then quipped, “I don’t know why everyone was shocked.”
Lewkowicz wasn’t being facetious. The 69-year-old Uruguayan-American, after all, made his name as one of the sport’s preeminent scouts. When it comes to snatching up promising boxers from around the globe, no one had a better track record or sharper set of eyes than Lewkowicz. The more obscure the boxer, the better. His resume includes discovering the likes of Manny Pacquiao and Sergio Martinez. Lewkowicz’s other current titleholder is super middleweight David Benavidez.
“One way or another I’ve had 32 champion,” Lewkowicz said. “When I used to be with ‘Maravilla’ Martinez, one guy told me, ‘You’re like a roach. It doesn’t matter what poison they give you, you always come back with someone else.”
Count Rosario as Lewkowicz’s latest diamond in the rough.
“I believe I should have gotten some respect when I say my guy would knock [Williams] out,” Lewkowicz said.
So then, what’s next? Well, says Lewkowicz, it’s up to Williams. A rematch clause is in place, but Williams must pull the trigger. Lewkowicz doesn’t advise rushing back into the ring, however, certainly not against Rosario.
“If you want the rematch, we will (honor) it, but I don’t recommend it,” Lewkowicz said. “I believe (Williams) needs to recoup himself, fight a [tune up] and come back and get the rematch. But it’s up to him.
“But I strongly do not recommend it. I watched the fight again and Rosario is too strong. I promise that whatever is the decision, the result will be the same.”
If nothing else, Lewkowicz is confident that his charge won’t let the sudden fame get to his head. After the win on Saturday night, the team made sure to celebrate – with water.
“This kid,” Lewkowicz said, “is a real clean-cut kid.”