Boxing: Unbeaten Julian Williams Takes Aim at Jermall Charlo

Julian Williams is at the brink, entering that larger scale at this stage of his career. “J Rock” likes to say this is the year he kicks the door open to the national glare.

Williams (21-0-1, 13 KOs) has already had a long journey getting this far. He will take another step on Saturday, though most expect him to have an easy time of it against Italian Marcello Matano (16-1, 5 KOs), who has never fought outside of his native Italy and never faced anyone close to Williams’ caliber. They meet each other in a 12-round super welterweight title eliminator -- it airs on Showtime at 10 p.m. ET/PT -- at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

On two different occasions, Williams missed a combined 17 months due to some managerial complications. Now that “J Rock” is with Al Haymon, his career has picked up. He fought three times in 2015 and is primed to make a push at 154 pounds, with the aim being Jermall Charlo (23-0, 18 KOs), the IBF super welterweight world champion. The winner of Williams-Matano is scheduled to face him next.

“I signed with Al and it’s been smooth sailing ever since then, because everything Al promised me he’s delivered so far,” Williams said. “I learned a lot from the other situation. I didn’t let the time get me down, and I used that free time traveling and honing my craft. I’ll admit it was rough financially, being off eight months, and at the time I was a four- and six-round fighter.

“Those times teach you a lot,” he added. “I learned to value a dollar even more, but I think you also learn how important your boxing career is. I was getting $2,000 a fight, and I pulled through. I didn’t have a side job. I was selling cars a little bit. My coach [Stephen Edwards, Williams’ trainer] helped me out a lot. We pulled through it. I do know what it is like to hungry. I was poor way before boxing came into my life. Like I said, you learn from those things. I’ve been poor all of my life, and you make do with what you have.”

Boxing is something Williams said he picked up on the streets of West Philadelphia. He is the middle son of three boys, and the trio fought each other constantly. He fought his brothers, and he fought kids in the street.

“I was probably kicked out of every elementary school I’ve ever been in for fighting,” Williams said. “I was that kid that would drive teachers up a wall. When you’re in school, there are always sports going on, competing going on, and everyone was competing for something. You have a lot of competition. There is emotion that would build, and before you know it, there’s a fight. I didn’t walk away. I fought. I could street fight before I could box.”

Then an older gentleman in the neighborhood with a boxing background saw Williams and asked him about coming to the gym.

“That’s how I got started,” Williams said. “I was around 12 when I first put on boxing gloves.”

Williams stressed that he is taking Matano -- the Italian is on a four-fight winning streak since a ninth-round knockout loss to Felice Moncelli in September 2014 -- very seriously. “J Rock” feels Matano is not coming all of this way to lose. Edwards and Williams are trying to sell the 29-year-old Matano as a legitimate challenge. It may be a bit of a reach since Matano is 5-foot-8, compared to Williams’ 5-foot-11 height and superior reach.

“I have to be focused and prepared, no matter what other people think,” Williams said. “I know everything about Matano. He’s shorter than me, and I’ve seen some film of him, but I feel good going into this. I had a long camp and I’m excited about it. I’m already an exciting fighter and a world-class fighter. I just want to put on a good performance.”

Joseph Santoliquito is the president of the Boxing Writer's Association of America and a frequent contributor to Sherdog.com's mixed martial arts and boxing coverage. His archive can be found here.