Former IBO super middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr. (32-2, 23 KOs) defeated an overmatched Liam Williams (23-4-1, 18 KOs) in winning a 12 round unanimous decision in embarrassing the hometown fighter in front of his own fans at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, Wales.
(Photo credit: Lawrence Lustig / Boxxer)
Eubank Jr. repeatedly knocked the slower Williams down during the contest. Willams, 29, was down in rounds 1, 2, 4, and 11. The scores were 116-109, 116-108, 117-109.
The only reason the scores weren’t wider is that Eubank Jr gassed out in the second half of the fight, and gave away some rounds.
Eubank Jr. was too good for Williams, and it’s not surprising he’s a true world-class fighter.
Boxing 247 will be giving live updates of the results below from Cardiff.
- Unbeaten Claressa Shields (12-0, 2 KOs) came out victorious in the chief support out in successfully defending her female IBF/WBA/WBC middleweight titles against Ema Kozin (21-1-1, 11 KOs). All three judges scored it the same with the following scores: 100-90, 100-90, and 100-90.
- Female super lightweight prospect Caroline Dubois (1-0) beat journeywomen Vaida Masiokaite (2-15-4, 1 KOs) by a six round points decision. The score was 60-54. Caroline is the sister of heavyweight contender Daniel ‘Dynamite’Dubois.
- Chris Jenkins (22-4-3, 8 KOs) beat former IBF/WBA 140-lb champion Julius ‘Blue Machine’ Indongo (23-5, 12 KOs) by an eight round points decision in welterweight action. The referee’s score was 7875. The 38-year-old Indongo’s record in his last six fights is 1-5.
- Heavyweight Shane Gill (1-1) pulled off a big upset in defeating Steve Robinson (4-1, KOs) by a six round points decision by the score 58-56.
- Big 6’5″ Swedish southpaw heavyweight Otto Wallin (23-1, 14 KOs) put in a fine performance in outworking Polish journeyman Kamil Sokolowski (11-25-2, 4 KOs) by an eight round points decision. Referee Reece Carter scored it 7974. The fight was the first action for Wallin since last year in February. “I would have liked to have pushed him a little bit more. It was nice to get the ring rust off,” said Wallin to Boxing Social after the contest. He’s durable, I knew that, and he gives everybody a good fight, but I was much better than him. Next time, I’m going to push my opponent a little more and hopefully stop him. I would have liked to have hit him to the body a lot more. I felt like he was covering up to the body a lot, and he made it a little bit difficult. I know there were some things that I could have done better to open up the body. I’m going to work on that and next time, hopefully, have it in place,” said Wallin.
Does Eubank Jr. still have it?
“They say fighters age overnight,” said Eubank Jr. to Gareth A. Davies. “I’m 32 now, maybe I got old overnight. Maybe I’m going to go into the ring and be chinny and if he lands something, I’m going to get hurt. Nobody knows. We’re going to find,” said Eubank Jr. on his fight with Williams.
“Liam Williams looks in fabulous condition. I spoke to him up there, and he’s absolutely ready to rumble,” said Adam Smith of Sky Sports to Boxing Social on the Eubank Jr. fight tonight.
“It means a huge amount to him. It’s a world title here, even though it’s not a world championship on the line. He wants to beat Chris Eubank Jr badly. it’s burning inside him.
“But Chris looks cool and relaxed and he’s in tip-top condition as always. Mentally & physically, he’s absolutely there. Roy Jones Jr is very confident, they’ve spent a lot of time together, and he believes we’ll see a career-defining performance from Chris.
“Chris is always the consummate pro, isn’t he? Liam, there was a lot of talk this week about whether he’d struggle at the weight, but I think he looks really strong. The talking is over. There is grudge, there is needle, but it’s going to come down to which of them implement their tactics better.
Eubank-Williams to fight for world title in 2022
“They’re the best middleweights we have in this country. The winner goes on to fight for a world championship. There’s no doubt about that this year. So, Chris Eubank Jr. has all the star qualities, but can he put the big, big performance in that his career needs at the age of 32?
“As for Liam Williams, I think he believes he’s campaigned in a higher class. He feels very confident that Chris is underestimating him and he’s got a point to prove.
“It’s great when you don’t know who is going to win a fight. It’s 50-50,” said Smith on his belief that Eubank Jr. vs. Williams is a toss-up fight. “Boxing is never simple. There’s always a lot of high tension at these affairs.
“The most important thing is the fighters have behaved themselves impeccably all week. I think that was a worry and a concern,” said Smith.
“He can become pound-for-pound #1 because he’s got the speed, he’s got the power, he’s got the ability, he’s got everything it takes to be on that pound-for-pound chart,” said Roy Jones Jr. to Fight Disciples on Eubank Jr.
“It’s just about learning those basic skills that got me to that situation, and with those things being taught, he can become one of the best ever,” said Jones Jr. about Eubank Jr.
“He always wants to learn. I can tell you this and I can’t say this about many fighters. When I teach him something, I can be gone for six days, I can be gone for six days, I can be gone for six months.
“When I get back with him again, he’ll be far better than what I taught him than what I last saw him. Not too many people can do that,” said Jones.
Chris Eubank Jr. (31-2, 23 KOs) and Liam Williams (23-3-1, 18 KOs) fight tonight in Cardiff, Wales for a chance to battle for a possible world middleweight title this year.
Eubank Jr, 32, takes on the tough heavy-handed Williams in the headliner on Sky Sports. In the co-feature bout, Clarissa Shields takes on Ema Kozin in a fight that is expected to be highly entertaining.
This is a make-or-break fight for Eubank Jr, who has hopes of taking on the winner of the unification fight between WBA middleweight champion Ryota Murata and IBF champion Gennadiy Golovkin.