It was like being in the ring with Mayweather
HIGGINS HAILS WILLIAMS
MARK WILLIAMS believes he can box clever all the way to a fourth world title.
The Welshman, 46, is through to the quarter-finals of the Betfred World Championship after 29 years on tour.
Wily three-time winner Williams tied old rival John Higgins up in knots with snooker’s equivalent of the rope-a-dope at the weekend.
A bamboozled four-time champion, Higgins felt his 13-7 defeat was “like being in a ring with Floyd Mayweather – I got my head jabbed near clean off, he is so clever”.
And former schoolboy amateur boxer Williams, who was unbeaten in 12 fights before turning to snooker, admits he has grown up admiring the most canny exponents of a sweet science.
He said: “Years ago I boxed as a junior, but I still love watching it. The Billy Joe Saunders fight coming up should be great, I’ll be glued to that and all the big ones really.
“You have the different styles. The heavyweight division gets the most attention, with the big punchers and the knockouts.
“But I used to love the era with Naseem Hamed, who had a bit of flair and skill, and also Chris Eubank for his real boxing skills.
“With me on the table, a lot of shots I go for might look crazy, but somewhere there is an element of putting the white where I don’t leave much on.
“It’s not quite as erratic as it looks, and there is thought and method behind it.
“And even the crazier shots can put opponents under pressure sometimes, because they know if they miss then I’m going to go for it, literally anything.
“If you get one and make a break of 80 or 100, it creates pressure on their safety. There is no holding back and, if they go in, I can be dangerous.
“It does feel on the table like I am 21 again, that’s the way and the speed I am playing at. I was quick back then, and I wanted to get back to that.
“That’s the way I won tournaments then.”
Meanwhile, Scotland’s Anthony McGill admits he is sweating on today’s final player Covid test after knocking out defending and six-time world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan on Friday.
World No.1 Judd Trump failed a test at January’s Masters and had to withdraw after being made favourite to scoop the £200,000 first prize.
The stakes are even higher at the Crucible, with £500,000 as well as a first world title up for grabs.
McGill said: “It would be heart-breaking for that to
happen to anyone.”