JOE TIPS ‘WORLDIE’ WILLIAMS FOR VERY TOP
JOE CALZAGHE claims Liam Williams proved he is elite level after he took Demetrius Andrade the distance in his failed world title bid in Florida.
Williams lost by a unanimous points decision to the WBO middleweight king.
But Calzaghe (right) says he showed guts by getting up in the second when he suffered a heavy knockdown.
Williams troubled the unbeaten Andrade, 33, in the ninth round and Calzaghe says his compatriot should be proud – even though he failed to emulate him and become Wales’ 13th world champion.
The former supermiddleweight champ said on twitter: “Brave effort by @Liamwilliamsko. Hurt early, but came back and showed he belongs at world level, hurting Andrade in the ninth.”
Williams paid tribute to the American after suffering his third pro loss and said he was slicker than he expected. “Andrade is a very good fighter,” admitted the Rhondda boxer, 28. “He’s better than I thought.
“He’s very slippery and I couldn’t really get going. “I hurt him a couple of times, but then he was gone before I knew it.” Andrade began fast and the fight might have been over in the second when he floored Williams with a right-left combination.
Williams did well to carry on and was competitive, even though Andrade was always in control.
He troubled Andrade in the ninth, but he did not land enough shots and lost 118-109, 118-109 and 116-111 on the scorecards.
Williams did earn Andrade’s respect and the Rhode Island fighter, who improves to 30-0, said: “Liam Williams is a hell of a fighter. He’s tough, strong and gave me a hell of a fight.
“He got up and kept coming. That’s what happens in a dogfight.”
BY HECTOR NUNNS
DAVE GILBERT has slapped a booze ban on himself in a bid for Crucible glory.
The 39-year-old from Tamworth (left) beat close friend Chris Wakelin 10-4 to reach the second round of the Betfred World Championship.
World No.15 Gilbert admits he has not coped well with losing his normal social life during lockdown – but is leaving a pub blow-out until he is knocked out or lifts the trophy. A rejuvenated former Ibiza regular, Gilbert has been dancing around the venue and showed flashes of the form that took him to the verge of the final two years ago.
Gilbert said: “I know people think I like a beer – which I really do! But in game mode it is very different.
“I won’t drink maybe three weeks before this tournament, and then not during any event and certainly not during this one. And then if I either get beaten in a disaster or win it, there might be a blow-out. But it takes me longer to recover now.”
Reigning Masters champion Yan Bingtao (right) has kept alive his hopes of becoming the youngest world champion.
The 21-year-old from China, who beat Martin Gould 10-6 to reach round two, could snatch Stephen Hendry’s record, set in 1990, by a month.