Vito Mielnicki Uses Size to Defeat Ammo Williams

Vito “White Magic” Mielnicki Jr. (24-1, 13 KOs) used his size, length, and cleaner punching to defeat Austin “Ammo” Williams (20-3, 13 KOs) by unanimous decision on Friday night at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. All three judges scored the 10-round middleweight fight 98-91.

The physical difference was noticeable immediately. Mielnicki looked like the naturally larger man and used his reach to catch Williams coming forward. A hard right hand dropped Ammo in the opening round, forcing him to spend the rest of the fight trying to recover ground against a younger opponent who could box comfortably from the outside. The size advantage that Vito had in the fight was hard to ignore, as he resembled a filled-out super middleweight fighting a normal-sized middleweight.

Williams continued pressing, but his defense remained too porous. He frequently followed Mielnicki without moving his head, allowing the New Jersey fighter to land jabs and counters before sliding away. When they exchanged at closer range, Mielnicki’s uppercuts and body shots were sharper. He couldn’t miss with his uppercuts on Ammo all night.

How Much Did Ammo Have Left?

This was the best name on Mielnicki’s record, although Williams may no longer be the same dangerous contender he was several years ago. Ammo had already been softened up in a one-sided loss to WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames last March. That beating, combined with Friday’s knockdown and wide scores, raises questions about how much punishment Williams can continue absorbing at this level. Ammo looked half-stunned from the get-go, legs looking wobbly with every hard shot that Mielnicki threw. The heavy pounding that Ammo took in the Adames fight couldn’t have helped him.

He still produced one threatening moment in the eighth, landing a counter left that bloodied Mielnicki’s nose and briefly stiffened his legs. Mielnicki responded intelligently rather than getting dragged into a reckless exchange, returning to lateral movement and cleaner combinations over the final two rounds.

The performance was an important step for Mielnicki, but the size advantage and Williams’ recent damage should be considered before treating it as proof that he is ready for the leading middleweights. He handled the opponent Matchroom placed in front of him and showed more discipline than in earlier fights. The next test needs to come against a physically comparable middleweight who has not already been through a punishing loss.