World-rated middleweight Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams 16-0 (11) is relishing the role of underdog ahead of his clash with Hamzah Sheeraz 19-0 (15) at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
The bout will be part of the high profile ‘5v5′ card that pits a handful of boxers from the Queensberry Promotions stable against fighters from Matchroom Boxing.
England’s Sheeraz, 25, is on Team Queensberry and is also their captain. American southpaw Williams, 28, represents Team Matchroom.
Bookmakers have Sheeraz listed as a firm favourite to win the bout, but that just adds more fuel to the fire for Williams.
“I trained for him like he’s the most dangerous fighter in the world and it’ll be a completely different fight I take to Hamzah Sheeraz. I have something to gain from this fight,” Williams said to DAZN.
“When I fought Armel Mbumba-Yassa, it was everything for him to gain. It wasn’t a time for me to be reckless. It wasn’t a time for me to take huge risks right off the bat. I had to box him, I had to show my skill and pick him apart properly because that was a stepping stone for me.
“This fight here, I can show it everything. I can give it everything. It’s everything for us both to gain.
“So, the risk-reward is at a high level. I can give it all I got and give it 100%. It’s not me saying, ‘Hamzah doesn’t have anything to offer me. Let me just get through this fight and knock him out.’
“No. I’m going with everything in my soul to get this victory in a spectacular fashion. I’m talking about a knockout. I’m talking about the best knockout the world has ever seen.
“This is 100% Ammo Williams. Everything I’ve ever done since the first day I was born up to this point will be on display.
“That’s something I discussed with Hamzah during our face-off. He said, ‘This is just a sport,’ and I said, ‘Dude, this is not just a sport. This is my being. This is my soul. This is every second that I’ve been here on planet Earth that is going to be displayed on June 1st.’ So I hope he’s ready for that.”
The esteemed Ring Magazine ranks Sheeraz at number seven at 160-pounds and Williams at number 10, making this matchup as good as any on the stacked card.
Sheeraz is under no illusion what he is in for.
“He’s a good fighter, he’s no mug, my hardest fight to date,” he said to DAZN.
“I have not been under any illusion, hence why we’ve had such a great camp.
“He does everything well, I don’t need to sit here and boast his accolades, we all know what he’s done.
“It’s all down to me to go in there on Saturday night and make him look like a regular fighter.”
