DaVarryl Williamson: Still in the Heavyweight Mix

Interview by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr. (May 9, 2005)

DaVarryl ‘Touch of Sleep’ Williamson

Heavyweight contender DaVarryl ‘Touch of Sleep’ Williamson, 22-3 (18), is still in the mix of things with his recent second round knock out victory over Derrick Jefferson on April 30th on the undercard of the Ruiz-Toney championship match-up. DaVarryl not only won the vacant NABO and the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight titles, but he secured his hold in the rankings, which of the time of the fight was WBC #15 and IBF #6. DaVarryl, once forgotten and considered damaged goods by the boxing world after a first round devastating knockout loss to Joe Mesi back in ’03, has since then come out swinging winning four out of five bouts, with the loss coming from a technical decision against Wladimir Klitschko. In that fight Williamson floored Wladimir in the fourth round and doing well until an accidental head butt halted the bout. Since the defeat to Klitschko, DaVarryl has defeated former heavyweight champion Oliver McCall by ten round unanimous decision and has now earned him self another KO victory when he stopped Jefferson.

Where does DaVarryl go from here?

The thirty-six year old Williamson is now one of Don King’s seven heavyweights in the top ten, having recently inking a deal with the powerhouse promoter before his bout against McCall. With DKP leading the way it is certain DaVarryl will get some kind of action in the ring with King’s many heavyweight showdowns that he has became accustomed to throwing to the public. Whoever King wants Williamson to fight next, the Denver based boxer is ready and in his opinion he should be challenging for a title in his next go around. The hard-hitting heavyweight just wants the opportunity to showcase his talents to the boxing world and in his eyes when he does get the chance he will be ready to administer a ‘Touch of Sleep’ to his opposition. DaVarryl stopped by the Doghouse to talk about his recent victory and to give his thoughts on his future in the heavyweight division, enjoy.

Benny Henderson Jr.: Give the Doghouse your thoughts on your recent victory.

DaVarryl Williamson: It was amazing; it was a very exciting fight for as long as it lasted. We probably both knew that it would end in an entertaining fashion. The only thing I regret is that I had hoped the fight would have gone on right before the main event and it didn’t happen. We fought earlier in the evening and there wasn’t as many people in the arena that I would have liked to have seen for a fight like that, other than that the people who were there early really got a treat.

BH: A lot of people expected you to fight cautiously early before pilling on the pressure in the mid to late rounds. Was it in your game plan to come in and go right after Jefferson and rough him up early?

DW: I really wanted to keep him guessing, not necessarily trick him but keep him guessing. He didn’t know if I was going to be aggressive, or move left or right, move back or forward. Sometimes I will stand my ground and punch and sometimes I will just box with them and keep him guessing. I wanted to hit him in every place but the bottom of his feet before I got a chance to knock him out.

BH: After you dropped Jefferson in the second round you jumped on him to only get dropped yourself, do you think that was a but reckless on your part?

DW: I wouldn’t say a bit reckless, I dropped him in the first round and I think he still had a little buzz going. I went to the neutral corner and my corner was motioning for me to pump my brakes and slow down and not get into a hurry, so I did and I was cautious. And then the second time I knocked him down I thought he was more hurt than what he was, so I went in and he threw a survival punch, it was instinct and it was a good shot. So it wasn’t so much that I was careless he just threw a good shot and it stunned me so I tried to grab him and when he moved back we fell down. During that little tackle maybe ten or twelve seconds had elapsed, when we both came to our feet he moved towards the neutral corner looking for a standing eight count and the ref didn’t administer the eight count so we both looked at each other and he was a bit buzzed himself and we both studied one another for maybe three seconds. Well, I said okay cool my head was cleared and I went back to work and thats where I was able to create separation.

BH: When you both got back up you both seemed a bit wobbled there for a minute, what was going through your head in that time?

DW: Oh we in a fight now baby, we in a fight now. (Laughs) I mean Benny man nobody said that you are not going to get hit in this game, it is boxing alright, I can’t tell you any other way. You are going to get hit some time during the fight it is how you handle it.

BH: What does this win do for your career in your opinion?

DW: I thin it gives my career an enormous boast, I think it really put a monkey wrench in these analysts, sports writers, boxing writers, or I will say most of them Benny because you and maybe one or two more really believe in me and say hey this DaVarryl is not damaged goods, he’s not the guy you seen in up in Buffalo against Joe Mesi, etc. They are scratching their heads at this time, they don’t know what to do right now, they are like he did what, he did it again. I beat Oliver McCall and had Wladimir Klitschko on the run I will continue to amaze those guys. I am just laughing because my wife, my lawyer, my publicist, my corner, Team Williamson has always believed in exactly in what we are doing, we have always believed in this. We just have been waiting to showcase what we can do.

BH: Many fight fans have complained about the heavyweight division, in the last few weeks we have seen Brock defeat McCline, Toney defeat Ruiz and of course your victory, do you feel the division is finally starting to heat up again?

DW: Well I certainly hope so I can’t get into the fight fans head and minds, etc. All I can do is beat the person that is in front of me. I’m hoping that DKP continue to set these dominoes up so I can continue to knock them down, I am just having a blast and it feels really good to have the goods so to speak to be able to excel in this sport at this particular day and time. I feel good about my chances and my opportunities. None of this is easy, nobody can say that I took the easy way, DaVarryl took the hard way. Some careers are more difficult.

BH: Where do you think you stand in the heavyweight division, and in an ideal world who would like to you face next?

DW: I don’t know how the sanctioning bodies are going to receive me; I believe that my next fight should be for the heavyweight championship. I don’t know if it is James Toney, or Chris Byrd, or the winner out of Golota/Brewster, I don’t know if it will be the winner out of Rahman/Barrett, who knows what’s going to happen. I just think that I am right in the mix; I am in the thick of things. Whatever is the best opportunity for Team Williamson we will jump right in there and face the music.

BH: Give the Doghouse some predictions on some upcoming heavyweight match-ups. Andrew Golota versus Lamon Brewster.

DW: I see that fight ending in a disqualification with Golota losing or Lamon using his good jab and left hook maybe finishing Golota. I know that Andrew is coming to fight so I see maybe an eight round TKO for Lamon. I like Lamon. Golota has been in a lot of rounds without fouling so I don’t know if he is itching to do something or what.

BH: Hasim Rahman versus Monte Barrett.

DW: I don’t know, I just seen those guys over the weekend and Rahman looks big and strong, he looks stronger than I have ever seen him. I hope he doesn’t bulk up on to much muscle and reduce his flexibility or movement. Barrett is a real cagey fighter, he finds way to hang in there and he has slickness in him his self. This fight here is going to be an intriguing fight. I would flip a coin; I call this a pick ’em fight. It really depends on which Rahman shows up.

BH: Is there anything you want to say in closing?

DW: I cannot over emphasize the appreciation I have over the true DaVarryl Williamson fans and all that continue to believe in me. I certainly want to say thank you for you everlasting support. You are appreciated and heard, I hear you.

I would like to thank Kevin Mullowney for his help on this interview. I would like to give a shout out to DaVarryl for is time and thoughts, for more info on Williamson please visit: http://www.tosboxing.com/

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