Welshman Liam Williams is preparing to make a return to the ring.
“The Machine”, from Clydach Vale, retired after a first-round loss to Hamzah Sheeraz in February 2024 and cited a number of concussions as being the reason for his exit from the sport.
Williams challenged Demetrius Andrade for the WBO middleweight title in 2021 and then was dropped four times before being outpointed by Chris Eubank Jnr.
Two victories followed, before the fight with Sheeraz.
Williams spoke openly about concussion around the Eubank Jnr fight, and said that he went ahead with the fight because he did not want to disappoint his fans.
“I’m in the process of being back in business,” the 33-year-old told BoxingScene. “I’m waiting, I’m hoping, something is going to come up soon.”
Williams does not have a promoter, but he is back training with Gary Lockett, alongside fellow Welshmen Rhys Edwards and Joe Cordina.
He admitted that the concussion issue had weighed heavily on him.
“To tell you the truth, I was [worried about it], but I’ve said many times, there is worrying, but at that stage I was a bit like, I had a lot going on, to be honest with you,” he said. “Not an excuse, you know, anybody can make excuses, but I’m not one to bullshit. I had a lot going on and even when I was in the gym and training and sparring, my mind was elsewhere. And at the time, I didn’t really want to focus on that too much because I had my own little problems going on and I didn’t want people knowing my life, my business.
“But now I’m at the back end of all that and I’m in a really good place just in general in life. I’m happy to say that.”
Williams’ pro record is 25 wins against five losses and a draw, and he revealed he had been missing the sport.
“Big time,” he said. “Obviously at the time, it was kind of a relief to say I’m done because I had so much other things going on. That was one less pressure to me, if you understand what I’m saying. It was an easy escape. It was one less thing on my mind. But obviously as months have gone by and things have gotten better, then, you know, it’s no longer a pressure on me because that's actually what I want to be doing.”
Williams said he needed the blessing of his coach, Lockett, and that he would only have come back to work with the former middleweight title challenger.
“There’s many other good trainers,” he explained. “I always said I started my career with Gary and went off and done what I needed to do and I’m grateful for Gary taking me back. “And I always said since I got back with him, this is where I’ll be till the end now.”
Williams did end his career with Lockett, but they’d been together in Williams’ formative years before Williams moved away, citing a desire to train at busier gyms where there was more sparring. With Cordina and Edwards in the gym, Williams is being pushed by them and Lockett.
“That’s always a great help, to be alongside the other lads and other people, at the high level or good level,” said Williams. “That’s always going to help being around them people, you know, so... But, yeah, it’s just mainly going back to that. I’ve just been missing it, and now everything else in my life is good. I feel like I’m in a good position. And if I didn’t do that, who’s to say, in a couple of years, three years, when I look back and think, ‘You know, am I going to regret not doing it, you know?’”
Williams is looking for significant opportunities. The idea of coming back and boxing on smaller shows does not appeal to him.
“If it means coming back on small hall bills, I probably wouldn’t come back,” he said.
“And that’s the truth of it. That’s not what I’m about doing, you know? So I’m hoping we’re going to get a breakthrough somewhere.”
There had been speculation about Boxxer staging a show in Wales in December. That seems unlikely, said Williams, but he wants to box before the end of the year.
“I’m hoping that something’s going to come up,” he said. “I’d really like to be out before the end of the year if I can. But in terms of going back to small halls, I’ve been involved in boxing a long time. I boxed at a really good level. I’m not interested in that, to be honest with you. As much as I love boxing, I’m not going to put myself through what we put ourselves through to fight on a small bill with no TV.”
Williams also acknowledges that he is stepping into the unknown. Although he’s had live rounds in the gym, nothing tells you what’s left in a fighter until fight night itself.
“The truth is, I’ve been sparring,” he said. “I’ve been training. I’m training. I feel like Liam Williams again. But the truth is, none of us know [what I can do at 33]. I’ve been sparring well. I feel great. But the truth is, the fight is where we will find out. But I do believe that you’re going to get a better Liam Williams than you did in recent fights.”
