Liam Williams (born 26 May 1992) is a Welsh former

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

who competed from 2011 to 2024. He has challenged once for the

WBO The World Boxing Organization (WBO) is an organization which sanctions professional boxing bouts. It is recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) as one of the four major world championship groups, alongside the World Boxin ...

interim

light-middleweight Light middleweight, also known as junior middleweight or super welterweight,PeBoxRec/ref> is a weight class in boxing but also may include other combat sports. Boxing The light middleweight division (also known as junior middleweight in the Intern ...

title in 2017, and once for the WBO

middleweight Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have beg ...

title in 2021. At regional level, he has held multiple championships, including the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

light-middleweight title from 2014 to 2015; the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

light-middleweight title from 2015 to 2016; and the British middleweight title from 2018 to 2020.

Early life

Williams was born in Church Village and currently resides in Clydach Vale in the Rhondda Valleys. Prior to his professional boxing career, he worked as a roofer.

Amateur career

In an amateur career which he claims began at age nine, Williams says he won 44 out of 49 fights, gaining many awards in Britain and Europe. "I won seven Welsh titles at all age levels, including the 2011 Senior ABAs when I was just 18. I beat Warren Sinden, who’s now a pro, by a wide points margin in the 75KG final."

Professional career

Williams turned

professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who work (human activity), works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the partic ...

as a

in 2011. Aged 18, he won every round against the more experienced Ryan Clark and won the vacant Commonwealth light-middleweight title in November 2014 with a 2nd-round-stoppage win over

Michael Lomax Michael Lucius Lomax (born October 2, 1947) is an American educator and former elected official who has served as president and chief executive officer of the United Negro College Fund since 2004. From 1997 to 2004, he served as president of Di ...

Williams vs. Carslaw

The following year, he added the vacant British national title by stopping Kris Carslaw in the second round of their bout at

Manchester Arena Manchester Arena (currently known as AO Arena for sponsorship reasons) is an indoor arena in Manchester, England, immediately north of the Manchester city centre, city centre and partly above Manchester Victoria station in air rights space. Pr ...

Williams vs. Corcoran

He retained both titles in defeating a previously unbeaten Gary Corcoran at the

Ice Arena Wales Ice Arena Wales (; known as Vindico Arena for sponsorship reasons) is an ice hockey rink in the Cardiff International Sports Village in Cardiff, Wales. It opened on 12 March 2016, and had two ice rinks and seating for 3,088 spectators. The ice ...

on 16 July 2016 with an 11th-round stoppage in what has been described as a gruesome grudge match.

Williams vs. Smith

Williams was controversially defeated by former WBO light-middleweight world champion Liam Smith on 8 April 2017 at the

. Owing to incorrect weight for the bout, Smith was ineligible to inherit the interim WBO light-middleweight world title (held by

Canelo Álvarez Santos Saúl Álvarez Barragán (; born 18 July 1990), commonly known as Canelo or Saúl Álvarez, is a Mexican professional boxer. He has held multiple quadruple champion#Boxing, world championships in four weight classes, from light middlewe ...

who is moving to a higher weight and expected to vacate the title).

Williams vs. Fox

On 21 December 2019 Williams fought Alantez Fox, ranked #2 by the WBO and #12 by the IBF at middleweight. Williams won the fight with a fifth-round stoppage.

Williams vs. Robinson

On 10 October 2020 Williams defeated Andrew Robinson with a first-round knockout.

Williams vs. Andrade

On 17 April 2021, Williams unsuccessfully challenged undefeated WBO middleweight champion

Demetrius Andrade Demetrius Cesar Andrade ( ; born February 26, 1988) is an American professional boxer. He has held multiple world championships in two weight classes, at light middleweight and middleweight. As an amateur, he won the U.S. national championship ...

for his world title, losing a unanimous decision with scores of 118–109, 118–109, 116–111.

Williams vs. Eubank Jr

On 5 February 2022 Williams fought Chris Eubank Jr, ranked #1 by the WBA, #3 by the WBC, #5 by the WBO and #7 by The Ring. Eubank Jr scored four knockdowns en route to a 12-round unanimous decision victory, the judges scoring it 117-109, 116-109 and 116-108 for Eubank Jr.

Williams vs. Sheeraz

Williams was stopped in round one by Commonwealth middleweight champion

Hamzah Sheeraz Muhammad Hamzah Sheeraz (born 25 May 1999) is a British professional boxer. He has challenged once for the WBC middleweight title in February 2025. At regional level, he held the European and Commonwealth middleweight titles between 2022 and 2 ...

at the

Copper Box Arena The Copper Box Arena is a multi-sport venue built for the 2012 Summer Olympics, located in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, England. Previously known as the Handball Arena, it was renamed because, aside from Handball at the 2012 Summ ...

in London on 10 February 2024.

Retirement

Williams announced his retirement from professional boxing in October 2024, stating he had suffered several concussions throughout his career and was concerned about

chronic traumatic encephalopathy Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head. The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets wor ...

Professional boxing record

References

External links

*
Liam Williams - Profile, News Archive & Current Rankings
a
Box.Live
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Liam 1992 births Light-middleweight boxers Living people Middleweight boxers Sportspeople from Church Village Welsh male boxers 21st-century Welsh sportsmen