British former world title challenger retires aged just 32-years-old
Wales has a rich boxing legacy for a nation of its size, boasting champions like Joe Calzaghe, Jimmy Wilde, and Steve Robinson, who have proudly represented their country on the global stage. Now, one of Wales’ more recent contenders, Liam Williams, has decided to hang up his gloves at the age of 32.
Williams transitioned to the professional ranks following a stellar amateur career, quickly challenging for the British super-welterweight title in just his 14th professional bout. The Clydach-born 154-pounder achieved this milestone with a second-round knockout of Kris Carslaw and followed it up with another knockout victory over Gary Corcoran. Williams appeared to be on course for a world title shot after adding the European title to his accolades by halting Gabor Gorbics.
However, back-to-back bouts against Liam Smith resulted in consecutive defeats for Williams, the first of which ended due to a severe eye injury while he was leading on the scorecards. This setback dashed his dreams of a super-welterweight world title shot. Undeterred, ‘The Machine’ moved up to the middleweight division, where he became a two-weight British champion by knocking out Mark Heffron for the vacant Lonsdale Belt.
After one successful title defense, Williams added three more wins to extend his knockout streak to seven consecutive stoppages, positioning himself for a long-awaited world title challenge. Unfortunately, he fell short against the undefeated Demetrius Andrade for the WBO middleweight title but returned home to a hero’s welcome before facing off against Chris Eubank Jr. in a grudge match in 2022.
A nightmare start led to a unanimous-decision loss for Williams, yet he felt he still had plenty to give in the division. He bounced back with victories over Nizar Trimech and Florin Cardos, both ending in early knockouts. However, at the beginning of this year, he faced the highly-rated Hamzah Sheeraz, who dominated Williams, handing him a first-round defeat—the first time Williams had ever been truly stopped in his career.
Today, Williams confirmed his decision to retire from boxing, citing concerns over his health and remaining ability. He has chosen to prioritize his family, acknowledging that a world title may no longer be within reach. "I trust the people around me, and when they tell you it’s over, you have to listen," he told the BBC. "It was very hard to hear."
Williams recounted his struggles with concussions, stating, “I had three or four in 18 months. I don’t want to box just for money and risk a head injury I can never recover from. I’ve got a lovely family and partner. If I can’t enjoy my life with them due to brain damage, what would it be for?”
He expressed concern over his diminishing punch resistance: “Heavy sparring, heavy hits—my resistance to punches is not as good, and the risks are just too great. Some hits you can’t come back from.”
With a heartfelt farewell, everyone at boxing is congratulating Liam Williams on an outstanding professional career and wishing him the best in whatever comes next.
#LiamWilliams #BoxingRetirement #HealthFirst #ConcussionAwareness #WalesBoxing #BoxingLegacy #FamilyFirst #BoxingCommunity #FormerChampion #CareerEndingDecision
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