Julian Williams' Trainer: Haymon Will Match You Tough

By Ryan Burton

Al Haymon advised fighters have recently come under increased scrutiny for facing what is perceived to be less than the best available opposition.  That scrutiny has picked up even more in recent weeks with some of the fights that have been televised on Showtime and Fox Sports.

One Haymon advised fighter that definitely doesn't fit that stereotype is undefeated junior middleweight prospect Julian "J Rock" Williams (17-0-1).  Williams is coming off an eight round unanimous decision victory over the then undefeated Eliezer Gonzalez of Puerto Rico (14-1). In addition to beating Gonzalez, Williams 2014 is rounded out with stoppage victories over Michael Medina and Fredy Hernandez.

"Al Haymon gets a real bad rap for babying fighters and then people clump all of his fighters together saying that they fight a lot of cupcakes.  If you look at a guy like Jermaine Taylor, he fights (Bernard) Hopkins twice, then three southpaws in a row with Winky Wright, Cory Spinks, and then Kassim Ouma.  Then he fought Kelly Pavlik back to back, then Jeff Lacy then he freakin' fights Carl Froch and Arthur Abraham.  That is a murderer's row.  I can't think of anybody in the last 15 years that has fought 8 guys in a row like that. 

"Rico Ramos is another guy who fights rough almost every time.  Paul Williams fought rough all the time too.  Al Haymon is the kind of guy of that gives you what you want.  I told him that I want Julian to be matched tough so they match him tough.  I asked for ex world champions so they gave him Joachim Alcine.  I have asked for undefeated fighters and they got him two of them in Eliezer Gonzalez and Hugo Centeno.  I've asked him for guys that gave other prospects trouble and they got me Jeremiah Wiggins.  I asked him for tough durable veterans and they got me Michael Medina and Fredy Hernandez," said trainer Stephen Edwards.

The Philadelphia, Penn. based Edwards believes that fighters need to be matched tough in order to improve their skills.  He wants his fighter to not only win a title but to successfully defend it as well.

"I don't know what goes on with other teams but whatever I ask for, Al Haymon has delivered.  Me personally I don't believe in bringing up fighters soft. I believe in fighting tough fights because that is what makes you better.  I don't believe in fighting blown up 140 pound fighters who can't fight.  That won't make you any better.  When Julian wins a belt I want him to be able to hold onto it," Edwards told BoxingScene.com.

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