Jarrett Hurd vs. Julian Williams in the works

By Boxing News - 01/04/2019 - Comments

Image: Jarrett Hurd vs. Julian Williams in the works

By Jeff Aranow: IBF/WBA junior middleweight champion Jarrett Hurd (23-0 16 KOs) has reportedly revealed that a fight between him and #1 IBF contender Julian ‘J-Rock’ Williams (26-1-1, 16 KOs) is in the works for his next title defense, according to Thaboxingvoice. The negotiations are almost completed for the fight.

Hurd wanted to fight former WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo in early 2019, but he recently lost his title to Tony Harrison on December 22, so he’s not an option. Hurd hopes to face Harrison, but he’ll need to wait until after he gives Charlo a rematch. Jermell had a rematch clause in the contract for his fight against Harrison, and he plans on using it.

This will be a good stay busy fight for Hurd to keep sharp. Williams’ stamina problems will likely be undoing against a fighter like Hurd. It’ll still be an interesting fight for the boxing public to see.

Williams would be a tough opponent for Hurd to fight right now. Williams possesses punching power, and he has excellent boxing skills as well. -Rock, 28, has won his last four fights since being stopped in the fifth round by former International Boxing Federation junior middleweight champion Jermall Charlo in December 2016. J-Rock’s recent wins have come against Francisco Javier Castro, Ishe Smith, Nathaniel Gallimore and Joshua Conley.

If Hurd is at his best, he’ll likely slowly steam-roller Williams, 28, like he did against Tony Harrison and Erislandy Lara. Hurd tends to start slowly in his fights, and then he picks up momentum as the contest goes into the later rounds. By the time the fight reaches the ninth or tenth rounds, Hurd usually has won his opponents down to force a stoppage. Hurd’s last fight against a badly over-matched British fighter Jason Welborn was an exception to the rule. Hurd took his time in that fight, but once Welborn started to land a lot of nice shots on him, he was forced to go after him. Welborn immediately folded in the fourth round when Hurd started throwing heavy leather.

Williams looked bad in his recent fight against Nathaniel Gallimore last April in winning a harder than expected 12 round majority decision. Williams faded late in the contest, and was lucky to get the victory. If Williams fades against Hurd like he did in the Gallimore fight, he’ll get stopped.

Hurd, 28, is also interested in traveling to the UK to defend his IBF/WBA 154 pound titles against former IBF welterweight champion Kell ‘Special K’ Brook (38-2, 26 KOs). Brook is highly rated at 154 at #2 WBA, #3 WBC, #4 IBF and #4 WBO. He’s in position to fight for a world title against one of the champions, and Hurd is interested in giving him a world title shot.

Besides Hurd wanting to give Brook a title shot, newly crowned World Boxing Council junior middleweight champion Tony Harrison says he’s willing to give Brook a shot at his title if his rematch with former WBC 154 lb champion Jermell Charlo fails to happen. Before Charlo lost to Harrison, he was interested in defending his belt against Brook. There’s no shortage of opportunities for Brook despite the fact that he looked poor in his last fight against Michael Zerafa. Brook was stopped by Gennady Golovkin in 2016 and Errol Spence in 2017.

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