Though it has come too late – maybe five years too late, maybe ten – long-serving British heavyweight Danny Williams has come to his senses while he is still able to do so and has announced his retirement from the sport he gave so much to. Danny, aged 47 and a pro since 1995, suffered a disturbing to watch stoppage loss over the weekend when MMA fighter/pro boxing debutant Sergey Kharitonov stopped him in two rounds in Russia.
Kharitonov actually pleaded with the referee to stop the fight as Williams was in obvious distress, his state of disorientation quite frightening to see. Thankfully the ref did the right thing and did indeed stop the fight. Williams fell to 54-28, having been stopped some 16 times. According to Mail Online, Williams reached out and confirmed he has retired. However, Williams has said before how he would likely fight no more, only to return soon after.
It is to be hoped Danny makes this retirement stick.
A very good fighter in his day, back in the 1990s and early/mid 2000s, Williams challenged for the world title (being stopped by Vitali Klitschko), he stopped a faded Mike Tyson, and “The Brixton Bomber” captured the British and Commonwealth titles. Things began to go seriously wrong for Williams in 2011, when he was beaten nine times in a row, being stopped four times. Often fighting opponents who would not have lived with him in his prime, Williams took his show on the road, fighting with a licence granted to him by the Czech Republic.
Danny admitted as far back as 2008 how he was a “shot” fighter, yet on he went, boxing so as to pay the bills (for his daughter’s college fees). Williams lost five fights in 2014, with one win, and he lost two out of three last year. Danny did string together a four-fight win streak over 2017/2018, but he was fighting limited opposition, mostly fighters with losing records.
Williams’ sole appearance of this year saw him stopped by Kharitonov. Again, hopefully, the retirement will be permanent this time.
A true servant of the sport, it is also hoped Danny can enjoy the rest of his life.
Final record: 54-29(41).