WIN OR BUST
Williams admits it’s all on the line for himself and his opponent Andrade tonight but he’s not thinking about defeat
LIAM WILLIAMS admits his world title dream will be on the line when he challenges WBO middleweight king Demetrius Andrade in the early hours of tomorrow.
Williams, who faces the unbeaten Andrade in Hollywood, Florida, knows it will be a long road back if he loses.
The hard-hitting Welshman has spent a decade working his way up to become the WBO’s mandatory challenger and is adamant he will not be denied.
“It’s a risky fight for both of us,” said The Machine. “He’s the champion and I’m the No.1 contender. If he loses, the belt goes and that’s his status gone. But it’s the same for me, I’m back to the bottom of the pile. There’s a lot at stake. Neither of us will take a backward step and that’s what makes it a great fight.
“The outcome is me winning. Whether that’s over the distance or inside the distance doesn’t matter to me as long as I take that belt back to Britain.
“I’m super confident and I don’t think there’s any way that he beats me. I think I can knock him out.”
Williams’ world title hopes appeared over when he suffered a second defeat by Liam Smith in 2017. He re-evaluated his life, stopped boozing during camp, and moved away from his home in the Rhondda Valley to team up with trainer Dominic Ingle (below) in Sheffield.
Seven straight stoppages later he is on the cusp of realising his dream and proving wrong all the critics who have written him off.
The 28-year-old, whose partner Carys is due to give birth to their first child on May 21, said: “I’ve had setbacks, I’ve had injuries, I’ve been told to retire. “So getting my opportunity is a real achievement.
“If I win this, I’ll be massive star in Wales and in Britain. I’m just very excited.
“It’s a big opportunity and if I win the fight it’s going to be lifechanging for me.”
Andrade, from Providence, Rhode Island, is a three-time world champion at two weights and he is supremely confident he can handle Williams’ power.
The 33-year-old, who is 29-0, has no concerns about ring rust in what will be his first fight for 15 months. “I’m ready,” he said.
“At the end of the day I train hard and smarter every single day, I’ve been doing this a very long time.
“I’ve fought all of them already, there’s nothing new I’ve seen from Williams, nothing new at all.
“OK, he’s tough and bringing it forward, but at the end of the day I’m going to have the answers for whatever he brings.”