WELSH WARRIOR Liam Williams had his middleweight world title dream dashed by brilliant American southpaw champion Demetrius Andrade.
The Clydach 28-year-old flew to Florida for a longshot at dethroning the 33-year-old undefeated leftie.
But he came face-to-face with a masterful fighter who almost stopped him in the opener, floored him in the second and then slipped and grabbed his way to a points win.
Team USA’s 2008 Beijing Olympian walked to the ring in a baseball cap emblazoned with ‘WAR’ in honour of recently deceased middleweight legend and fellow southpaw Marvin Hagler and put on a showing the icon would be proud of.
The judges called it: 116-111, 118-109 and 118-109.
Williams said: “Demetrius is a very good fighter, better than I thought, more slippery than he appears on TV.
“I could not get my punches or combinations off, I felt I hurt him a couple of times but he was always gone before I could capitalise on it.
“I know I am tough and can take a good shot, I knew I had taken his best shot in the second and I got up so I had nothing to fear.
“I don’t feel I need to take a step back, I believe now I am world level.
“I know I gave him a bit of stick in the build-up but he is quality and probably only Canelo in the division is a better champion than him.”
It was a violent start and Williams was hurt instantly when Andrade unloaded a huge left hook off the ropes.
The Brit was buzzed but went on the front foot instead of covering up and trying to survive.
Andrade‘s lead southpaw uppercut was vicious and Williams was nursing a heavily swollen cheek from the second minute.
A straight one-two smashed into his nose as well, as the usually cautious American went hell for leather.
In his camouflage shorts, Andrade was hard to find in the second and he brutalised Williams again with a meaty left backhand and an uppercut that scythed through his guard.
Williams was warned for roughhouse tactics with thirty seconds of the round remaining, he switched off for a nanosecond and was punished with a massive one-two that decked him for a count.
The third looked like being a breather for Andrade but he landed again with a minute left in the session and Williams was held up by the ropes.
But the Brit bravely bashed and bullied his way back into the bout with a strong finish to the stanza.
The fourth was a huge improvement for Williams, with a couple of shots landing flush and Boo Boo’s legs looking heavy under the constant pressure.
Sheffield trainer Dominic Ingle kept telling his charge that Andrade was going to wilt in the back half of the fight but Williams was worried his footwork was not up to the task.
If Andrade took a rest in the fourth, he clocked back in the fifth with a series of those trademark uppercuts that Williams at least knew to expect but could not avoid.
Thin-skinned Williams was cut by the end of the round and had blood dripping down into his right eye.
Andrade complained of an eye poke in the sixth and he continued to hold and smother and Williams’ freakish pace.
But a thunderous lead uppercut sliced through his guard again and rocked his shaven head back toward the Florida heavens.
Right at the end of the seventh Williams was whacked again and had to cling on for the bell to save him after Andrade slipped up a gear.
Williams dared to drop his hands in the eighth and dare his opponent to hit him but he waited until Williams had his guard up to land another uppercut.
Andrade appeared to be hurt in the ninth by a right hand but Williams did not seem to have the energy to finish him and shipped a bodyshot for his trouble.
Andrade definitely tired in the final few rounds, against Williams’ relentlessness it would be almost impossible not to.
But he grabbed the penultimate round with a pinpoint combination that the judges would have loved.
And the pair, who had swapped spiteful insults over the months of build-up, hugged at the final bell after both giving it their all.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
