Call him a throwback to the days of Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, “Gypsy” Joe Harris, “Bad” Bennie Briscoe, Bobby “Boogaloo” Watts, Stanley “Kitten” Hayward, Willie “The Worm” Monroe, Georgie Benton all fighters of the 70’s when Philly fighters ruled from 147 to 160. That’s Julian “J Rock” Williams, 22-0-1 (14), fighting out of the West Philly Shuler’s Gym ran by Buster Custus.
After 6 1/2 years as a professional Williams who is the No. 1 contender will be getting “his shot” at a world title on December 10th at the USC Galen Center in L.A. seeking the IBF super welterweight title held by Jermall Charlo, 24-0 (18), out of Houston, TX. Both fighters are 26 years-old and have paid their dues in the amatuers.
Williams’ last two fights have stopped Argentina’s Luciano Cuello, 35-3 and Italy’s Marcello Mantano, 16-1 opponents. He hasn’t fought in his hometown of Philadelphia since 2011 but his last two fights were at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA. He is managed and trained by Stephen “Breadman” Edwards.
This writer remembers Williams sparring with then top ranked and undefeated Mike “MJ” Jones and you didn’t know which one was Jones it went that way. Williams was probably Jones toughest “opponent” up to that time.
Former world IBF super welterweight champion “Buster” Drayton from Philly stated “Julian has all the tools and needs to know when to use them!” Another former IBF super welterweight champion in the Shuler’s Gym is Rob “Bam Bam” Hines.
There were only two fights that Williams did not have victories when he fought to a draw in his seventh fight against Francisco “Chia” Santana, then 12-2, in Santana’s home state of CA. The other was a NC against Hugo Centeno, Jr., then 22-0, stopped when an accidental head butt stopped in in the fourth round while all three judges gave Williams the first three rounds. Williams felt Centeno could have gone on. The fight was in Las Vegas.
In 2014 Williams won the WBC Continental Americas title that he defended twice in 2015. If there is anything missing with Williams it’s he has only had one fight in the last fifteen months. Same goes for Charlo who also has only fought once in 2016 some twelve months ago defeated former champion Austin Trout in a fight that could have gone either way in this writer’s opinion.
Mark my words the next champion of the world coming out of Philadelphia will be Julian “J Roc” Williams on December 10th!