Myquan Williams scored the win of his career, dropping Luis Feliciano three times and stopping him in round six to break through into contender status.
The Jackie Kallen-managed and Lou DiBella-promoted super-welterweight was impressive, dropping Feliciano three times in total, and improving his record to 20-0-2 (9 KOs) in the ProBox TV main event at Plant City’s Whitesands Events Center.
The fight had been almost even with the oddsmakers but Feliciano, who was unbeaten in 17, was a slight favourite, so much so that the modest Williams had not predicted such an impressive outcome.
“Not necessarily, but I’ll take it,” he smiled. “I’m definitely excited and grateful tonight. I respect anyone who steps into the ring, for sure, just the fact that getting in there is not easy for anybody, but it was definitely a great match.”
Williams, a 25-year-old from Hartford, Connecticut, started quickly and he looked for his rapid-fire right hand over the top early on, flooring Feliciano twice in the second.
“My footwork and my speed [was the difference],” Williams explained. “I was smart, I was just smarter than him. I thought he would be open for the right hand, that’s what I was setting up. I kept coming over the top of his jab with my right and, keep him at bay, at distance, and those shots made it for me.”
Feliciano attempted to battle back and while he managed to steady the ship, there was no overall shift in control.
“He definitely tried,” Williams admitted. “I’m not sure he got back into it [the fight] as far as catching up on the scorecards but he definitely has heart. I’ll give him that.”
When the end came in the sixth, Feliciano went down hard. A right hook sent him into the ropes, another crashed home and then he was caught by a big left uppercut on his way down, heavily, to the canvas.
“I just think he was hurt,” said Williams, who on his way out said his next step was to “Go back in the gym.”
“Whatever is the best move business-wise for my career,” Williams stated, of what’s next. “I have a great team. Jackie Kallen is my manager, Lou DiBella is my promoter, whatever is best.”
