Calm Within The Cruiserweight Storm, Aaron Williams Awaits His Day
  By Coyote Duran (January 13, 2005)  
Aaron Williams
Time flies unnoticeably when you share it with something familiar. This specifically is why, somewhere deep within us, we suffer from some degree of surprise or disappointment years down the line when our favorite fighters retire or pass their primes, gracefully or brutally. And we become wistful.

Maybe someday we'll feel the same way about Aaron Williams.

By no means does this mean we should think the worst of the young cruiserweight with the cool demeanor and the easy-going smile. Please don't confuse the reflection of what is the relatively short life of a prizefighter to the lengthy career of say, a doctor or a police officer. What's more important is the impact the fighter makes on us, where the fighter comes from not geographically, but what motivates him) and what he’s achieved.

In this case, seeing the career of the 19-year old Williams, 5-0-1 (4), rise from the ground up is a pretty cool treat judging from what he has accomplished vs. where he’s started his career from. Y’see, the powerful Cleveland, Ohio native with the highly decorated amateur career kicked off his professional entrance into Our Sport last February in one of the least desirable divisions in the game: The cruiserweights. Now this may confuse you a speck so bear with me.

It’s true that we’ve seen a heightened interest in one of the broadest accommodating divisions, weight-wise, in the past two-and-a-half years but who could have really predicted that the cruiserweights could be that great a class to lay a promising professional foundation in? Well, in my estimation, Williams and his managerial team mightn’t have seen the glamorous light at the end of the tunnel, lit by the Toneys, Jirovs, Braithwaites, Mormecks and Bells, but perhaps felt the 176-200 pound class was a great place to get started, stay somewhat low-key, rack-up some wins and move to the heavyweight division where the big wampum be (and, boy, do they need all the help they can get, boyo).

And for a kid like Williams, those challenges do stay safely away from his reach, but his preparation for invasion is sound and solid. Not only does the Las Vegas implant benefit from the underrated, sage guidance of management-par-excellence, Pat Doljanin and Albert Falcon, but also works diligently under the watchful eye of World Boxing Hall of Fame trainer Jesse Reid.

So what makes someone so young and low-key so desirable with the higher minds? Well, just look at what the kid’s done, amateur-wise. From being a member of Emanuel Steward’s famed Kronk Gym team to winning a bronze medal in the 2004 Olympic trials, Williams has left little to accomplish pre-professionally, topping off a 93-10 record with an entry into the pro ranks culminating in an exclusive signing with Doljanin, Falcon, Reid and the Warehouse Boxing Club in June of 2005. After one fight.

Now, I’m sure I haven’t prophetically convinced anyone that Williams is some sort of savior of the higher weight classes and I’m not trying to. Williams’ seriousness and hunger is clearly apparent in the gym, attracting the most interested in sparring partners and experts alike who’ve been more than happy to throw their two cents in, surely cementing the notion that they were there too, when Aaron was getting off the ground floor with the future and the volatile world of professional boxing awaiting him. Between training with the likes of heavyweight Willie Chapman (who smudged the record of prospect Preston Hartzog, another Reid-trained fighter) and former light heavyweight title contender Derrick Harmon, Williams has also caught the eyes of the Mayweathers (Roger and Floyd Sr.), trainer Kenny Adams and WBC Heavyweight titleholder Hasim Rahman, all who’ve had solid praise and high expectations.

I guess that’s a benefit of living and training the Vegas way.

So after a few cancelled bouts, back-to-back knockout wins over Joseph McAllister and Michael Waters and a draw against Harvey Jolly that most observers thought Williams had locked, Williams finally scores another progression in Year One by taking on veteran James Johnson, 19-20-2 (11) (former junior middleweight/current way-blown-up dude who’s been spanked by some of the better names a young cat could face, such as Lou Del Valle, Bronco McKart and Sechew Powell) on the undercard of the ‘Nightmare at Cicero Stadium’ card (courtesy of Sammy Merza's Windy City KO Promotions), Friday, January 13 in Cicero, a suburb right outside of Chicago, Illinois. As manager Pat Doljanin put it candidly, “Johnson’s here to be hit, but he’s a challenge and he’s taken on guys who’ve gotten that experience like Del Valle and (former Armed Forces standout) DeAndrey Abron.”

And Doljanin’s right. High hopes or not, the Doljanin/Falcon tandem’s not taking any chances with Williams’ cultivation. 20 losses or not. Johnson’s still a guy with 19 wins and 41 fights total. He’s seen some rounds. It’s a sensible step up. It also helps that Williams lives humbly. At such a young age, with looks that can easily melt the young ladies, Williams could, as well, easily take for granted that he’s in a business that could mess up that mug on any given day. But Jesse Reid also sees past the potential frivolity with an eye on Williams’ true potential. When Williams first signed his management deal back in June of ’05, Reid had glowing things to say then, comparing him to a young Evander Holyfield and Lamon Brewster, power and skill-wise. Reid would know.

So many factors bode well or Aaron Williams. He’s got youth and time, for two examples. His management is pacing him reasonably and his own goals are realistic. By the time he’s ready to make a greater splash in the cruiserweight or even the heavyweight divisions, a great many of today’s heavy-hitters and contenders might be gone or (if I may take you all full-circle) past their primes, clearing the way for the wild and the young to take over. And it might be just better that way. In a division that’s had its share of deep potholes over its almost-25-year history, Williams could possibly be traveling down a yellow brick road of his own by the time he becomes one of the elite. Maybe then, the cruiserweights’ll be a serious go-to division.

Until then, I’ll be watching from the beginning. That way, it’ll be a while before I have to get wistful.

If you live in or near the Chi-Town area, grab up an Italian Beef or, at the very least, a beef-and-sausage combo and come on down the show Friday night. Cicero Stadium is located at 1909 S. Laramie Ave, in Cicero Illinois and you can get a top-notch parking space for about 10 bucks within walking distance. Admission starts at $30. Call 773-290-8272 or 773-716-9111. Doors open at 6:30, first fight starts at 7:30.
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