Danny Williams interview:
"by the time Vitali Klitschko comes round I’ll be 100% fitter"
On 30th July this year British heavyweight Danny Williams put another nail in the coffin of Mike Tyson’s career with a fourth round knockout. It was the most significant career win for Williams, who has long been regarded as the most talented British heavyweight. Last week it was confirmed that his next challenge would be against champion Vitali Klitschko for the WBC title at Madison Square Gardens on December 11th.
Danny very kindly took time out from training to talk to TalkingBoxing.com’s Dave Crellin about what post-Tyson, pre-Klitschko life is like and to give his perspective on his future career, that of Tyson, and how he thinks British boxing is shaping up as a whole.
TalkingBoxing: The Tyson win was fairly momentous. How much have things changed for you since then?
Danny Williams: Things have changed big time. I’m getting recognised much more walking down the street, signing autographs, opening shops, that kind of thing. A walk that used to take 5 minutes is now taking half an hour. But it’s all good.
TalkingBoxing: Where do you think the Tyson win puts you in the world rankings now?
Danny Williams: Well, I’m in the top 10 of all the major organisations, but I’m still surprised I got the shot at Klitschko straight away. I thought I’d have to fight another top contender first but the Tyson fight has really paid off. Most people don’t realise but I wasn’t paid much for the Tyson fight. It was a real risk but I took it because I really believed I could win and that’s been justified by the rewards I’ve got since.
TalkingBoxing: What do you think you have that could make you stand out from the rest of the crowd at heavy?
Danny Williams: I believe I have more ability and more heart than most of the guys out there. A lot of the top guys have quit when they’re pushed - I don’t quit. I have the experience, and the heart and the natural ability to go with it.
TalkingBoxing: Tyson’s always spoken fondly of his relationship with the people of Brixton, which is your neck of the woods. How did that feel leading up to the match?
Danny Williams: To be honest it didn’t bother me one bit. I’d admired Tyson for a long time but things like that just went out of the window and to me he was just another man that I had to destroy. I just put everything out of my mind and did what I had to do.
TalkingBoxing: Tyson landed some good hard shots – how does his power compare to people you’d faced previously?
Danny Williams: Oh, his power is definitely a different class, but I expected that. You know, when you get hit like that it’s a shock to the system. He starts fast and you can see why he’s taken so many people out early, but I had the sense to hold on and recover. And he got tired.
TalkingBoxing: If you were advising Tyson, what would you recommend?
Danny Williams: Well, it’s funny because if he knocked me out in the first two rounds everyone would have been saying that the old Tyson was back. He was definitely strong early on, he’s still got it, but he just needs to train harder, work on his fitness a little more so that he’s got something when people are still there after the fast start.
Talking Boxing: The Vitali Klitschko match has been confirmed now for December 11th. What stage are you at with your training?
Danny Williams: We’re already training really hard, doing the hard platform work to build stamina. I’d say that in two weeks I’ll have surpassed the level of fitness I was at for the Tyson fight and by the time Klitschko comes round I’ll be 100% fitter. It’s going to be a different kind of fight, but I’ll be totally prepared, in brilliant shape.
I’m moving training to the US in November, either to New York or Philadelphia. We don’t have names for any sparring partners yet but the gyms in Philadelphia have lots of tall guys who’ll be good sparring.
TalkingBoxing: You’ve got a jump on domestic competition - are (British champion) Matt Skelton and Audley Harrison still fights you want or are you past them?
Danny Williams: I see myself as past them now. To be honest I feel I was holding myself back boxing the likes of Keith Long and Michael Sprott, just wasting my time boxing at a domestic level. I needed to get out of the British scene and onto the world scene to show the world what Danny Williams could do. I’ve done that now, so these British fights aren’t really interesting me right now.
TalkingBoxing: Any plans on going out in Britain again – any future defences you’d like?
Danny Williams: Definitely. My goal is to win the world title and then defend it in Britain. So far as who I’ll defend it against, actually I’ll contradict what I said before about Audley Harrison because if he can get himself ranked I’d love to defend against Harrison. Other than Harrison, the only name that springs to mind is James Toney because he’s regarded as the best, so he’s the one I’d like to face. I hear he didn’t look great last time out but that’s understandable given his long lay-off. He’s still a very good boxer and, like I say, he’s seen as the best so he’s a guy I’d like to face.
TalkingBoxing:
Are you interested in a Sinan Samil Sam rematch?
Danny Williams: Oh, I’d love to do this. Last time against Sam I wasn’t ready. I mean, compare the shots I was getting knocked down with against Sam to the shots I was taking against Tyson and staying up. Tyson hit so much harder but I could take them because I was in shape. I’d really like to show the world that I’m a better boxer than I was that night and a better boxer than Sam.
TalkingBoxing: If you keep fighting and winning sooner or later you’ll be a favourite again - something you’ve said you don’t enjoy. How will you cope with that?
Danny Williams: I’ve totally changed my mindset. Before, I was really conscious of doing what everyone else wanted me to do and of living up to everybody else’s expectations. Now I’m not putting any pressure on myself, I’m not bothered about anyone else. I’m focussed on myself and I’m much more relaxed, I don’t feel the expectation at all except the standards and goals I want to hit for myself.
TalkingBoxing: How do you see the state of British boxing as a whole?
Danny Williams: I think it’s really good at the moment, I really believe Ricky Hatton will prove himself in the next 12 months to be the best light welter in the world, and when I beat Klitschko we’ll have another world champion. And there’s Joe Calzaghe as well who’s proven to be the best at his weight in the world. Then there are guys like Johnny Nelson, who’s world class too. You know, for a small nation we’re doing OK on the world stage.
TalkingBoxing: Thanks for taking the time out Danny, all the best with training and on the 11th
Danny Williams: No problem, any time. TalkingBoxing would like to thank Danny Williams, Scott Murray and Danny Yates and to wish Danny all the best for the Klitschko match.
Quelle: http://www.talkingboxing.com/interviews/dannywilliamsinterview1.html
