Leon ‘Solid’ Williams interview: Leon talks about his career, Jon Lewis
Dickinson, Danny Couzens and more.
By Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro
This coming Saturday Streatham bad boy Leon ‘Solid’ Williams defends his
Southern Area Cruiserweight title for the first time, at the Graham Earl
promoted ‘Redemption Day’ event at York Hall in London.
Leon is one of the Cruiserweight divisions most exciting and talented
young stars, not even the controversial split decision loss to Jon Lewis
Dickinson on the Prizefighter – Cruiserweights show or the more recent
knockout loss to Richard Turba have dulled his sheen one iota in the eyes
of his huge legion of fans, or more importantly those of his promoter
Frank Maloney.
Anyone that has seen ‘Solid’ in action will understand why, Leon is one of
those exciting raw talents that gives one hundred and ten percent each and
every fight. His style is best likened to a shark, he circles his prey
before striking with ferocious precision, and his defensive tactics are
simple – attack, attack and attack.
Earlier today I caught up with Leon at the TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town,
where he was undertaking the final preparations for this Saturday’s fight,
and managed to pin him down to answer a few questions. So without further
ado let’s get down to a serious Q & A session with Mr Leon ‘Solid’
Williams
Rio – Hi Leon, I know you are busy preparing for your first defense of the
Southern Area title so thank you for taking the time to talk with me
today. My first question is what influenced you to become a boxer?
Leon – Iron Mike, definitely Mike Tyson. I think the first fight I see him
in was against Frank Bruno. It just pumped me up and gave me the drive. So
that’s why I am where I am now, that’s why I’m in the Boxing game and
living my dream.
Rio – Whilst your pro career is well documented I couldn’t find much on
your amateur career, so could you tell us a little about that.
Leon – I joined Balham ABC originally, I was there for a little while then
went to Fitzroy Lodge. I think I had about seventeen amateur bouts. It’s
not a lot of amateur experience but I didn’t have an amateur style anyway,
I was always more suited to the professional game.
Rio – You beat JJ Ojuederie to win the Southern Area title last year, can
you tell us about the fight and how you felt to lift your first title.
Leon- I thought he was coming to fight, but he just kept running. For nine
rounds he ran and then tried to have a fight in the last round.
It was a great achievement to win the Southern Area title, so yeah Im
happy about that.
Rio – I understand that a rematch with Jon Lewis Dickinson is on the
cards, first give us your thoughts on this and the decision that handed
him the victory over you in Prizefighter.
Leon – I wasn’t at all happy with that decision, he scored it like amateur
boxing. It’s pro competition you don’t score like it’s amateur with
points, you score like professional boxing on pressure, bigger shots. You
learn form these and just keep it moving, that’s what I’m doing keep it
moving.
The promised rematch is great. I’ll put it on him straight away, break the
other end of his jaw.
Rio – Your last fight see you suffer your first knockdown, and have a
stoppage loss against you. What went wrong?
Leon – That’s down to preparation, it’s what I done the night before, I
wont go into detail but I did something that I don’t normally do the night
before and that affected me. I think that affected me and I was too
relaxed, but we’ve learned from that you know. It’s a learning curve and
I’m still learning. You make mistakes and you learn from those mistakes,
quite simple.
Rio – You’re now with Johnny Eames at the TKO Boxing Gym, how’s that going?
Leon – Really good, really good. I’ve got a really good relationship with
Johnny, he’s gonna really help build me up. You can’t ask for more from a
coach and a manager, so yeah it’s great.
Rio – You’re fighting Danny Couzens on Saturday, please give us your
thoughts on the fight.
Leon – I’m gonna crush him, it’s quite simple, I’m gonna crush him like a
biscuit.
Rio – What are your championship aspirations after this fight with Danny?
Leon – Climb the ladder and the next title will hopefully be the English
or British. Just keep on moving up, whatever works in the boxing game. I
want to conquer the domestic division and then look further afield.
A World title is the long term plan, then again that’s what every boxer
wants to do. It’s about achieving that.
Rio – Of all your fights, amateur or pro, which holds the fondest memories?
Leon – When I was in the ABA London finals against Richard Needham. Bad
Boy fight, proper fight, we were both going really at it. It was a really
good fight, anyone that was there that night will remember that fight
because it was a really good fight. The fight of the night by far. That
was a great fight.
Unfortunately I lost but it was a really great fight, three knockdowns I
think, they gave me a count, it was a really good fight, we really went at
it.
Rio – Finally is there anything you would like to say to the fans,
especially that noisy ‘Team Solid’ mob
Leon – Yeah, Team Solid’s good to go, Team Solid’s the future.
Rio – Thank you so much for talking with me today and the best of luck for
Saturday.
Leon – Thank you.
Leon ‘Solid’ Williams defends his Southern Area Cruiserweight title,
against Danny Couzens, at the Graham Earl promoted ‘Redemption Day’ event
at York Hall this coming Saturday, 7th May.
For tickets, priced £35 (Standard) and £60 (Ringside) call: 07960 850645,
book on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or call in person at The TKO Boxing
Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.
Visit www.Ringnews24.com for the latest boxing news, press releases, interviews and fans’ own articles, or follow us on twitter @ringnews24
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