IN DEPTH WITH DARRYLL WILLIAMS
Young super-middleweight talent Darryll Williams takes another step on the ladder when he takes on Hull’s Tony Shields over four rounds on Thursday night’s exciting BoxAcademy show live on BoxNation from the York Hall, Bethnal Green.
Name: Darryll Williams
Weight: Super-middleweight
Born: Kings College Hospital, south-east London
Age: 22
Family background: I’ve just one older brother but he weren’t into boxing; more a businessman. I live in Forest Hill with my mum. No kids yet.
Trade: At the weekend I do a bit of part-time door work and stewarding.
Nickname: ‘Ferocious’! My trainer David gave it to me. He says it’s the kind of person I am.
What age did you become interested in boxing and why? I was always interested in fighting, always a street fighter. I loved a good old ‘one on one’ and I had a knack for it; a real ‘handy’ man! So I was already half way there when I first entered the Total Body Fitness gym in Forest Hill when I was 18. The fighter within was already there, I just needed to learn a bit of boxing technique.
What do you recall of your amateur career? I boxed out of the Double Jab gym in Forest Hill. It was a small club that wasn’t really established. I was coached by David John who still trains me as a pro today and we had this weird matchmaker who we called Hannibal Lecture. For my second bout I was matched with a boy having his eighth. For my seventh fight I was put in with a kid who’d already had 27!
I only had nine amateur bouts, four wins, five losses. Twice I lost at the London final stage of the national novice championships. However, in my mind, only one of those five defeats was ‘fair and square’. One time I was disqualified, others I had points deducted. It was very disheartening.
Basically, I came with something different to the ‘tap-tap’ that the amateur establishment seemed to favour. I had a bit of a rough style which didn’t really fit with the amateurs. Looking back, I had a real street fighting mentality, wasn’t really in the ‘sportsmanship’ mode. I loved the eye bogging, all the intimidation stuff. That’s what made it a fight. I’ve calmed down since.
Right from the start, I had a lot of head movement – liked to roll and dip – plus I turned my wrists over and loved the body shots. I liked to get up close. I was always around a pro environment, did a lot of sparring up The Peacock (pro gym in Canning town).
A guy I knew who used to arrange camps abroad showed one of my fight DVDs to (ex Mike Tyson trainer) Kevin Rooney and he was so intrigued with my style that he invited me over to the Catskills with the intention of competing in the New York Golden Gloves but because of (lack of) funds we couldn’t get over there in time.
In hindsight, I probably should’ve tried my luck at one of the more established clubs in south London but loyalty to my coach clouded my judgement. I knew David really believed in me. I certainly wish I’d had the experience of a lot more amateur bouts. I’d be a better fighter today if I had. Still, the amateurs was a good learning curve. Having regrets just provides excuses for failure.
Why did you decide to turn pro when you did? I knew my style was better suited and I’d learn more. I was always in your face, pressurising, working the body. Sparring the likes of Billy Joe Saunders, Steve O’Meara, and James DeGale, I was already more accustomed to the pace of the pros. The pros and amateurs are two very different ways of boxing.
Tell us about your back up team: I’m managed by Dean Powell, promoted by Queensberry Promotions and still coached by David John. I believe David had 28 amateur contests and fought in the Junior ABAs. We work very well together, listen to each other, bounce ideas. He’s very calm, seldom shouts, whereas I’m the opposite. Raw!
David’s very technical, puts a lot of emphasis on my body and feet position after I’ve thrown punches. Am I in a position where I can be hit?
Two guys also help me with my strength and conditioning. Warren, who has a place in Dulwich, is very scientific. He’s worked with David Haye and Jade Johnson, the long jumper. We do a lot of plymetric and stability work. Then there’s Daniel Hewitt, a bit of a freelancer, who does a lot more raw stuff with ‘pullies’, sledgehammers, shot putts. Together, Warren and Daniel take care of both the grit and the science. It’s good.
What’s your training schedule? Which parts do you most and least enjoy? I usually train six days a week at Miguel’s gym in Brixton. I start my day at about 5a.m with some interval sprints then I’ll do my own plymetrics, stair hopping and stuff. Straight after, I’ll go for my long distance run, between three to five miles.
Because David works during the day, I don’t go to the gym until about 5p.m. I’ll pass the time in between by reading, or studying fighters. I watch a lot of DVDs of guys like Zale, Graziano, Henry Armstrong, Marciano…I love the windmill types!
At Miguels, I’ll do a few rounds shadow, then some pad work with me standing on this big bouncy tyre. I find it really helps my balance. I’ll do 6-8 rounds on the pads, 6-8 on the bags, sometimes holding light dumbbells to help build up explosiveness in the arms. Then I’ll have a skip, do some stretches plus my dips, press-ups and neck rolls with weights. It usually takes well over two hours.
I get around for sparring; go the TKO or Jimmy Mac’s place over in Loughton. That’s my favourite part of training. The worst bit is those early morning runs, especially in winter when the freezing cold burns your hands. You just have to bite on your gumshield and keep going.
Describe your style? What are your best qualities? I’m very, very high energy and quite explosive. I had a couple of very big knockouts in the amateurs. I’ve got quick feet to get around the outside of opponents guards so I can strike them on the ear or side of the jaw. I use a lot of feints.
What specifically do you need to work on to fully optimise your potential as a fighter? Continue to develop my boxing brain, improve as a tactician. You can never be too smart. You need to be really fit mentally so that you can stay calm. I need to keep studying fights so that I can become a professor!
What have you found to be the biggest difference between the pro and amateur codes? The pace. Plus you’re allowed to work inside. During my pro debut, I was constantly waiting for the ref to shout ‘Break,’ but it never happened. That caught me off guard a bit.
Who is the best opponent that you’ve shared a ring with? I’d say it’s a Nigerian guy I sparred who they call ‘Lightening Quick Larry’. He’s a light-middle who trains with Spencer Fearon. He had over 100 amateur bouts and had excellent speed and technique. I think he’ll go places, definitely.
All time favourite fighter: Tyson. I loved his velocity. He was exceptional in the way that he came at you but seldom got hit.
All time favourite fight: So many. I’d say Tyson’s demolition of Tyrell Biggs. That was the Texas Chainsaw Massacre! He was so focussed on breaking Biggs down and letting him know: ‘Remember Me!’ He ruined him.
Which current match would you most like to see made? Probably a rematch between Tony Bellew and Nathan Cleverly. I thought the first one was quite close and very exciting.
What is your routine on fight day? I try to have a lay on until about 10 or 11 but the excitement usually gets to me. It’s like the day of a school trip when you were young. I’ll have some porridge – long lasting energy – then, after that, I’ll prepare myself mentally. I try not to stress, conserve all my energy for the fight. I’m not fearful because I know what I’m doing.
I like to get to the arena early so I can get comfortable, get my seat in the changing room. Then I like to start warming up straight away; stretches, shadow box and pads. I need to get the muscles pumping and get a sweat on. I’m naturally in ‘Fight Face’ mode because I know what I want. I’m not at college, I’ve no girlfriend. I’m fully focussed on pursuing my boxing dream.
Entrance music: I want The Fugees: ‘Ready or not,(here I come)’
What are your ambitions as a boxer? I’ve got targets written on the wall so that when I get up for my morning run, I know what I’m doing it for. Right now, I just want to get as many fights as I can, as quickly as I can, to build up a fan base and an atmosphere surrounding me. In 2013 I’d definitely like to be fighting for an Area title.
How do you relax? I like to read and I love the computer games, especially the shooting and action games.
Football team: Big Arsenal fan. I used to go, growing up, but it’s a flipping lot of money so now I watch it on TV with my dad. He’s also a big Gooner and apparently was a pretty good player before I came along!
Read: I love books on war strategies, power. I like non- fiction. Anything that’s real life.
Music: I’m a bit of an allrounder; jungle, R ‘n’ B, rap, old school garage. I’d say Drake is my favourite artist.
Films/TV: The Matrix is my favourite. That’s so possible. I also like Blade, The Demolition Man and Terminator.
Aspiration in life: Right now, everything is boxing related. I want it all, to be in The Hall of Fame, part of ring history!
Motto: ‘Let’s Go To Work!’ My boots, trunks and gumshield are my work uniform!
{SQUARE} {SQUARE1} {SQUARE2}
{loadposition SQUARE3}
