Home Boxing News Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams: “I want to be pound-for-pound number one”

Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams: “I want to be pound-for-pound number one”

Julian 'J-Rock' Williams. Photo credit: Mike Greenhill

WBA and IBF junior middleweight champion Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams 27-1-1-1NC (16) believes he can be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.

The 29-year-old from Philly, who wrested the WBA and IBF titles from previously undefeated Jarrett Hurd in May, will make the first defence of his unified crown against Jeison Rosario 19-1-1 (13) at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday night.

“(Winning the title brought me) a little more notoriety, that’s all,” Williams said to PhillyBoxingHistory.com. “To be honest with you, I stopped thinking about it. I want to stay focused on the task at hand, and the task at hand is becoming the pound for pound best in the world.

“I’m not just satisfied with being the best junior middleweight in the world. I’m just not satisfied with being the unified champion of the world. Why sell myself short when I’ve got the ability and the drive to be the best pound-for-pound best fighter in the world? I’d be selling myself short. I’d be leaving millions of dollars on the table.

“Sometimes when guys make it – and I can say that now because I think I’ve made it – I think guys get a little bit complacent and lose their hunger.”

Williams insists his focus remains on Rosario.

“Right now I’m kind of in the thick of things,” Williams said. “I’m focused on the fight. I’m not trying to worry about the good parts of this (being champion) because it could turn bad in a second if I’m not focused. Especially with a hometown fight, people start pulling you in different ways. It’s crazy. So I just try to block myself from the world.”

Even still, Williams is under no illusion that he is expected to beat Rosario and do so in impressive fashion.

“I ain’t going to kid everybody. I don’t think it’s a difficult fight,” Williams said. “You know what he brings to the table? Ambition. I think he’s an ambitious kid.

“I just think it’s a matter of being focused and on top of my game and I think I’ll take care of him.

“I don’t think he’s difficult though. He’s a decent fighter. We ain’t going to make him out to be Ray Robinson. He’s put together a good string of wins. And he’s tough and he’s coming to win. That’s more important than anything. He has the ambition to win. So, you can’t underestimate him.”