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Kick me up the ass and call me JuyJuy, I should be putting this in Global Boxing really, but **** it, it's just the odd one, not fifty a week, and Williams is due to get a world title shot soon, not some guy who fought in the 1990s and retired over a decade ago.
This is from Maxboxing:
Closet Classic – Danny Williams vs. Mark Potter
Every fighter who steps between the ropes must possess a certain level of courage; otherwise they would never have stuck with the sport. But all fighters aren’t created equal – some are blessed with more physical talent while others make up for their shortcomings with mental fortitude that wears out opponents just as effectively as a hook to the liver. More than a few times, a boxer endowed with determination and grit overcomes obstacles that would have conquered others to emerge with a memorable victory. If you need more proof, just ask new welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir.
Some boxers, however, manage to go beyond the reasonable limits of human endurance to acquire that valuable "W." British heavyweight Danny Williams was one such fighter, and his bout with Mark Potter on October 21, 2000 at the Conference Centre in London produced one of the most mind-blowing examples of fortitude ever seen in the ring.
Williams was a rising heavyweight in 2000, winning 21 of his first 22 fights with 17 knockouts. The "Brixton Bomber" turned pro in 1995 with a second-round knockout of Vance Idiens and scored 12 knockouts in his first 15 fights before losing a 12-round decision to Julius Francis for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles. Two fights and eight months later, Williams captured the vacant Commonwealth belt by polishing off Henry Senior in two rounds. The fight with Potter represented Williams’ first defense of the belt as well as an opportunity to capture the vacant British title. In the past, Williams had problems with his weight, scaling as high as 260 for his fight with Senior. But for Potter, Williams weighed 253 and looked in reasonable condition.
Potter was born in Rush Green, England and made his home in Walthamstow in South London. A bruising, aggressive fighter, Potter raced to seven consecutive wins to start his career but lost an eight-rounder to Antoine Palatis in Pont-Aldemer, France. After scoring four more victories, Potter lost a eight-rounder to Keith Long but won the vacant British Southern Area heavyweight title by knocking out Danny Watts in six rounds seven months before this fight with Williams.
The last match for both men took place on the same card at York Hall 29 days earlier, with Potter decisioning Luke Simpkin over six rounds and Williams knocking out American Quinn Navarre in six frames. That card was headlined by Glen "The Road Warrior" Johnson, who stopped Toks Owoh in six rounds and Ricky "The Hit Man" Hatton’s five-round stoppage of Giuseppe Lauri. Williams entered the ring with much more experience, both in terms of opposition and scheduled distances. The bout was Potter’s first 12-rounder and his second fight slated for 10 rounds or more while Williams had engaged in six bouts set for 10 rounds or longer.
But when it comes to neighborhood matchups, all that matters is whether East London (Williams) or South London (Potter) would prevail. As the two large men stood in a ring that looked tiny by their presence, the crowd was ready to see some action.
Did they ever get it.
A split-second after the opening bell rang, the fired-up Potter set the tone by landing a lead right to the head. Potter dug two hooks to the body while Williams countered with a hook. A mere seven seconds into the fight, Potter landed a left-right to the jaw that sent Williams to the canvas. John Coyle, one of the most respected referees in the country, did not rule it a knockdown because Williams’ legs appeared to slip out from underneath him a fraction after the punches landed.
Potter said before the fight that "I will break Danny Williams’ heart" and as he steamed ahead he was intent on making good on his words. He whipped in rights and lefts to the body as Williams calmly fended them off. Williams, on the move, landed a snappy hook and dug another to the body, but Potter countered with his own hook and a one-two to the head.
Midway through the round, following a break, Potter snapped off a jab, two cuffing hooks and a solid right to the jaw. Williams responded with hook that landed low and a flush jab that forced Potter back a half-step. Potter drove a hook to the body and backed Williams to the ropes, where a clinch ensued.
This is from Maxboxing:
Closet Classic – Danny Williams vs. Mark Potter
Every fighter who steps between the ropes must possess a certain level of courage; otherwise they would never have stuck with the sport. But all fighters aren’t created equal – some are blessed with more physical talent while others make up for their shortcomings with mental fortitude that wears out opponents just as effectively as a hook to the liver. More than a few times, a boxer endowed with determination and grit overcomes obstacles that would have conquered others to emerge with a memorable victory. If you need more proof, just ask new welterweight champion Carlos Baldomir.
Some boxers, however, manage to go beyond the reasonable limits of human endurance to acquire that valuable "W." British heavyweight Danny Williams was one such fighter, and his bout with Mark Potter on October 21, 2000 at the Conference Centre in London produced one of the most mind-blowing examples of fortitude ever seen in the ring.
Williams was a rising heavyweight in 2000, winning 21 of his first 22 fights with 17 knockouts. The "Brixton Bomber" turned pro in 1995 with a second-round knockout of Vance Idiens and scored 12 knockouts in his first 15 fights before losing a 12-round decision to Julius Francis for the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles. Two fights and eight months later, Williams captured the vacant Commonwealth belt by polishing off Henry Senior in two rounds. The fight with Potter represented Williams’ first defense of the belt as well as an opportunity to capture the vacant British title. In the past, Williams had problems with his weight, scaling as high as 260 for his fight with Senior. But for Potter, Williams weighed 253 and looked in reasonable condition.
Potter was born in Rush Green, England and made his home in Walthamstow in South London. A bruising, aggressive fighter, Potter raced to seven consecutive wins to start his career but lost an eight-rounder to Antoine Palatis in Pont-Aldemer, France. After scoring four more victories, Potter lost a eight-rounder to Keith Long but won the vacant British Southern Area heavyweight title by knocking out Danny Watts in six rounds seven months before this fight with Williams.
The last match for both men took place on the same card at York Hall 29 days earlier, with Potter decisioning Luke Simpkin over six rounds and Williams knocking out American Quinn Navarre in six frames. That card was headlined by Glen "The Road Warrior" Johnson, who stopped Toks Owoh in six rounds and Ricky "The Hit Man" Hatton’s five-round stoppage of Giuseppe Lauri. Williams entered the ring with much more experience, both in terms of opposition and scheduled distances. The bout was Potter’s first 12-rounder and his second fight slated for 10 rounds or more while Williams had engaged in six bouts set for 10 rounds or longer.
But when it comes to neighborhood matchups, all that matters is whether East London (Williams) or South London (Potter) would prevail. As the two large men stood in a ring that looked tiny by their presence, the crowd was ready to see some action.
Did they ever get it.
A split-second after the opening bell rang, the fired-up Potter set the tone by landing a lead right to the head. Potter dug two hooks to the body while Williams countered with a hook. A mere seven seconds into the fight, Potter landed a left-right to the jaw that sent Williams to the canvas. John Coyle, one of the most respected referees in the country, did not rule it a knockdown because Williams’ legs appeared to slip out from underneath him a fraction after the punches landed.
Potter said before the fight that "I will break Danny Williams’ heart" and as he steamed ahead he was intent on making good on his words. He whipped in rights and lefts to the body as Williams calmly fended them off. Williams, on the move, landed a snappy hook and dug another to the body, but Potter countered with his own hook and a one-two to the head.
Midway through the round, following a break, Potter snapped off a jab, two cuffing hooks and a solid right to the jaw. Williams responded with hook that landed low and a flush jab that forced Potter back a half-step. Potter drove a hook to the body and backed Williams to the ropes, where a clinch ensued.
I know, I know... the thing is, if it was the odd one every now and again it wouldn't matter **** all. But after you've read 5,000 threads on Chris Eubank what else is there to say?
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