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07/21/2005 Archived Entry: "Aaron Williams: 'I'm Fighting Once a Month and Getting Ready for the Future!'"
Aaron Williams: 'I'm Fighting Once a Month and Getting Ready for the Future!'
By Juan C. Ayllon
(From left to right) Front: Albert Falcon, Aaron Williams, and Pat Doljanin;
Rear: investors Dan Barnett and Scott Borre (Juan C. Ayllon photo)
LAS VEGAS, July 21, 2005 – Undefeated cruiserweight prospect Aaron Williams (2-0-0, 1 KO) is playing video games while waiting for the weigh-ins for his third professional bout. Competitive by nature, his penchant for video games has translated well in his boxing career.
A former amateur standout, Williams won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Trials and nine national titles along the way. He won the Silver Gloves multiple times, Golden Gloves and Junior Olympic International Championships. At 19 years old, his future looks bright.
This Friday, he will face Tihomir Dokic (0-2-0) at the Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Humble and soft-spoken, Aaron Williams graciously visited with the Cyber Boxing Zone on this Thursday afternoon.
On how he’s feeling going into this bout:
Aaron Williams: I feel good. I feel like I’m in good and ready to go.
On anything whether he has done special in preparation for this bout and whether he’s incorporating weight training in his routine:
AW: No nothing special, I just did a lot of rounds in the gym boxing, running hard. Nothing special; just the same thing.
I haven’t been weight lifting in a long time; I haven’t been lifting weights in a couple of months.
I’ve been sparring in the ring with big guys. I think that’s where I get my strength from.
I’ve been sparring with Tye Fields and Preston—I forgot his last name, but Jesse Reid trains him. He’s a big guy.
I spar like about nine rounds a day; 8 to 9 rounds, plus stomach work, stomach exercise—crunches, sit ups. I try and do pull-ups, dips.
On what he knows about his upcoming opponent:
AW: Oh I don’t have no idea. A friend of mine fought him and he told me several things about him. He’s tough and comes to fight. I’m just prepared for it. I’ll be expecting the guy to come to fight.
On short term plans:
AW: No I don’t have no idea. I know I’ll be fighting every month. Hopefully everything will turn out fine tomorrow.
I’m just fighting once a month and just getting ready for the future.
On his hobby of playing electronic games:
AW: I got the game on, just waiting on me; I’m playing a game just getting ready for the weigh in tonight. I was playing NBA Live 2005. I always loved basketball and I get to play seasons on NBA Live.
On if there’s a girl in his life yet:
AW: No. Just trying to stay focused on what I do. Eventually a girl comes. I just focus on what I got to do, the sport of boxing.
On long term goals:
AW: My goal is to win the title of cruiserweight and going straight to heavyweight and start fighting and hopefully become heavyweight champion. No, I don’t have any time, time will tell. That’s just my plan, my goal.
On working with his hall-of-fame trainer, Jesse Reid:
AW: I like working with Jesse Reid. We have a good time in the gym; we work hard. We’re always on the same page. I see good things in the future for us—Jesse, Pat and Albert.
On what he’s learned in his first pro bouts:
AW: I learned a lot like difference between the pros and amateurs. I’ve to take my time and be relaxing, be patient, take my time and pick my shots. It’s a different game, because you don’t have headgear; it’s easy to get hurt and to get cut.
On whether he’d like to fight Matt Godfrey, another undefeated cruiserweight, whom he’d fought and defeated as an amateur:
AW: It don’t matter to me cause I beat him three times already. He should be the one who wants to fight me; I’ve beat him already.
On today’s heavyweight division:
AW: I think the heavyweight division is wide open. I think all the heavyweight champions should get together and fight each other and unify the belts.
Parting comments:
AW: I just want to say to the fans: check me out tomorrow at the Gold Coast, up and coming cruiserweight fighter.
Aaron Williams is trained by Jesse Reid and managed by Pat Doljanin and Albert Falcon.
