Light heavyweight prospect Joseph George has always thought big. Trent Williams, George’s manager and an All-Pro offensive tackle in the NFL, has made it big. Maybe that’s why they make a good team.
About a decade ago George was a walk-on basketball player at Temple College, a small school near Austin, Texas, with dreams of playing in the NBA but he stumbled upon something – literally – that he decided would provide a more direct path to a career as an athlete. The 19-year-old passed the Cougar Boxing Gym in Temple every day on his way to classes and decided, without so much as a training session behind him, that he would walk through the door and become a boxer.
Today, George, 30, is preparing to fight Marcos Escudero in a 10-round bout Friday on Showtime.
“I could never have imagined this,” he told Boxing Junkie. “I used to watch guys like Floyd Mayweather on TV. I thought you had to be superman to take on those challenges and conquer them.
“I did believe in myself, though. And as time passed, with a lot of hard work and the opportunities that presented themselves, here we are. I still can’t believe it.”
George (9-0, 6 knockouts) said he sparred that first day in the gym and held his own, using his quickness and athleticism – “and I mimicked what I saw Mayweather do” – to not only survive but impress onlookers.
The native of Houston soon had a trainer, took part in his first fight in 2010, became a good enough amateur to compete in the U.S. Trials for the 2016 Olympics and finally turned professional that year.
So where does Trent Williams come in?
A fellow boxer and friend of George invited him to work out at a gym – the O Athletik – owned by Williams and NFL running back Adrian Peterson in Houston, a few hours southeast of Temple. There he met the man who would become his trainer to this day, James Cooper, and join forces with Williams.
Cooper, who learned the trade under the likes of Don Turner and Emanuel Steward, took one look at George in the gym and thought, “Where has this kid been?” That was his way of saying that the clever, hard-working boxer-puncher with the strong amateur pedigree could ultimately become something special.
Williams, just starting to build a stable of fighters, thought the same thing. And he knew what he was seeing.
The fourth overall draft pick of the Washington Redskins in 2010, who grew up in east Texas, has been a fan of boxing for as long as he can remember. And he boxed in the gym himself during the NFL off season beginning in 2011, mostly to stay in shape, which impressed George. That’s when the football player began to cross paths with fighters, both boxers and mixed martial artists, and decided to open the gym.
“I just always gravitated toward it,” he said.
Williams was impressed with George’s ability and approach to the sport, particularly because he understands the demands of a professional boxer. He contemplated boxing professionally himself but quickly thought better of it.
“What makes Joe who he is is his work ethic, his determination,” Williams said. “He’s fearless, a different breed. You don’t come across guys that mentally strong too often, even in the sport of boxing.
“That’s what separates him from others. I think he’s going to open a lot of eyes on Friday.”
George also thinks the world of Williams, who is a manager, friend and role model all wrapped into one.
Williams has had a difficult year. He demanded to be released and has held out this entire NFL season over the way the Redskins medical staff handled a growth on his head that turned out to be cancerous and was recently removed. He first reported the growth in 2013 but, he claims, he was told repeatedly that it wasn’t serious.
You’d never know that Williams is in any kind of anguish, though, according to George. The grace with which he has handled this challenge and his upbeat demeanor has served as a valuable example for George.
“I learned that no matter what happens in life, it’s important to remain a solid person,” he said. “You remain a genuine person and let God handle the rest. Everything will fall into place. That’s what I think every time I see him smiling, every time he has something positive to say. He’s a great mentor.”
Of course, a great mentor needs a great student. This team seems to be built for success.