For long-deprived Denver boxer DaVarryl Williamson, the greatest danger is not in being too grateful.
Chris Byrd (38-2-1, 20 knockouts) is his best buddy in boxing, and Don King, the promoter he signed with six months ago, has been true to his word in getting Williamson a match against the International Boxing Federation’s heavyweight champion. But there’s no way Williamson (25-2-1, 18 KOs) is going to bow down for anybody Saturday night in Reno, Nev.
“I deserve this shot. This is overdue,” Williamson, 37, said. “I mean, I appreciate it. Obviously, when you’ve been yearning for something and you finally get it, you’re going to be grateful. But this is like my college diploma. I deserve it. I’ve put in the work. I’ve done overtime. I’ve worked countless hours at minimum wage.”
The $75,000 Williamson will receive isn’t much more than minimum wage for a heavyweight championship fight. For that matter, neither is the $450,000 Byrd is being paid as the reigning champion.
But this isn’t Tyson-Holyfield, or even a typical heavyweight title fight. It’s one of two Showtime Championship Boxing events, along with the James Toney-Dominick Guinn International Boxing Association (IBA) heavyweight championship.
Having waited so long for the opportunity, Williamson must guard against being too eager.
“I just have to be patient and outsmart him,” Williamson said. “I don’t have to have a picture-perfect fight to beat him, but I need to be on my A game. I need to use my jab, I need to touch him more than he touches me; whether it’s on the arms, the ribs, the chest or the gut, I need to keep one step ahead of him.”
Because Byrd, 35, is more of a master technician than a knockout artist, Williamson’s trainer, George Durbin of Denver, said he believes his fighter is just 12 rounds away from a big purse.
“Oh, yeah, DaVarryl can beat him,” Durbin said. “This is going to be his toughest bout yet because of the technical skills Byrd has. He’s the full package, a beautiful fighter, really.
“But if DaVarryl’s head is right, he will win the fight.”
It has been two years – Sept. 27, 2003 – since Williamson “froze up like a deer in the headlights” against Joe Mesi in Buffalo.
“I still don’t know what happened, but it’s not going to happen again,” Williamson said.
Durbin agreed.
“I don’t think so,” the trainer said. “He’s worked too hard for this.”
Even Byrd, Williamson’s longtime sparring partner, concurs.
“Everyone tells me DaVarryl has a great right hand, and I have experienced it,” Byrd said. “I have sparred with him. I think he’s an overall really good boxer, better than people think. That’s why I always told him that he was going to be in the mix in the heavyweight division. He had the one major setback with Mesi, but since then, he has been the DaVarryl Williamson I thought he would be.
“He has become a complete fighter, really good technically and really smart in the ring.”
Joseph Sanchez can be reached at 303-820-5458 or jsanchez@denverpost.com.
