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This will be Williamson's first defense of his NABF and WBO Latino Titles after his latest victory versus Elicier Castillo. Touch of Sleep Boxing and Mr. Williamson were kind enough to lend us some of their valuable time and effort to answer some very direct questions regarding his future as well as some notable career moments. The most memorable of which was his first round setback versus Joe Mesi. 'Touch of Sleep' is currently ranked 10th(WBC), 12th(WBO), and 14th(IBF) and seems much focused on securing another shot at the top of the now wide open heavyweight division.
DaVarryl Williamson
Salvatore Urciuoli: Where do you see your career path taking you in 12 months time and how many times do you plan to fight in that time period?
DaVarryl Williamson: I would hope to get 2 or 3 more fights before the end of the year. It's very difficult to map out your future in the boxing game, its kind of a waiting game to see if someone will pull your card. I would hope to compete for one of the prestigious heavyweight belts within 12 months.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Will you be mentally prepared to challenge for a world title by then?
DaVarryl Williamson: I will absolutely be mentally prepared for a title shot; I think I'm mentally prepared to fight for a championship today. I think that we [Team Touch of Sleep] have taken the appropriate steps....
Salvatore Urciuoli: Any young prospects in your camp you'd like to give us 'the scoop' on?
DaVarryl Williamson: I guess they're all prospects. Some guys, I didn't mention Will Henton, he's a veteran, some guys are trying to rejuvenate their careers, some guys are amateurs, some guys are professionals, they all have potential, we'll just see how it goes from here, the experience they get from sparring and being in camp can only help them.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Everyone knows what happened when you fought Joe Mesi. It seems to me that you just happen to sometimes be a slow starter. Some people would say in the first round you tend freeze up. What would you like to say to those pundits?
DaVarryl Williamson: It was a bit overwhelming, being in Buffalo with 17,000 irate fans cheering for Joe. Maybe I should have been going right to work instead of trying to feel it out, and I didn't and it cost me in a major, major way. Once again, it was a blessing in disguise because some guys never would have taken a chance with me, but now I'm getting the opportunity with guys that are willing to take a chance and fight me that I never would had if I had beat Joe Mesi. Everything happens for a reason, its one of those days. I definitely cannot afford to have a round like I had with Mesi ....
Salvatore Urciuoli: What type of resolve and strength of character did it take to start all over again after the loss? Did you ever think of quitting the game at any time since the Mesi fight?
DaVarryl Williamson: Absolutely not, I never thought about quitting even though you hear different whispers. This is how I got in this position here, because I believed in myself and the people really, really close to me believe in me as well, and they said "DaVarryl you have the talent, but you need to tighten everything up". My wife she spent the most amount of time studying my psyche, saying that you have all the skills in the world, you're better than most of these guys but no one can tell if you don't stay in there long enough to compete with these guys. So that's how that worked.
Salvatore Urciuoli: What can you do to counteract perhaps being a slow starter now that every heavyweight you fight will try to take advantage of that perceived weakness?
DaVarryl Williamson: I think with the training camp .... We have are curing that. I think we've cured that, I'm trying to burn out the first 4 or 5 rounds, and then get my second wind in the 5 or 6th round. I cannot afford a slow start ....... So I really have to be on top of my game in the first six rounds, to get through those six rounds and then I think we'll have our way.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Or do you believe that you exorcized those demons in weathering Castillo's initial attack and then coming back to box beautifully for the balance of the fight winning versus an extremely tough fighter?
DaVarryl Williamson: I don't remember his attacks, maybe it's been a while, but I remember him having one little flash, a barrage of punches in the 8th round. In the first couple of rounds the ring was my enemy because it was so slippery and wet that I couldn't get any traction so that was what I found the most difficult. Not to disrespect Elicier Castillo, but it was difficult enough just being in a ring where I couldn't get my footing and balance, so I really want to concentrate on my shoes or drying the canvas up so that I can get off to a better start this time. I need to be focused from the first bell to the last bell
Salvatore Urciuoli: Did Castillo give you any major problems because of his rare southpaw style?
DaVarryl Williamson: I don't think any problems, he kind of sat back for awhile and then he would try and jump me where he would jump in at different angles and throw awkward punches, uppercuts from way outside or hooks where he would jump at me straight and loop his punches around,
Salvatore Urciuoli: How were you able to figure out such a powerful left handed awkward guy like Castillo?
DaVarryl Williamson: We made some adjustments to him and he never seemed to adjust to us. So that is why we were having a tremendous amount of success with him.
Salvatore Urciuoli: When he put you down in the fight, how seriously were you hurt?
DaVarryl Williamson: I wasn't hurt at all; I was trying to get my balance. He did get my attention, but I wasn't hurt at all. If you see the tape you'll see that he hit me with a good shot, and in his urgency to jump me, and me trying to tie him up, we both starting to go sideways and it was more of a push that sent me into the ropes than from the force of his uppercut. When the referee administered the 8-count I had all my faculties, and when they told us to go back to fighting I bluffed Castillo and then the bell rang, so I was really dialed in, I heard the 10 second warning, so I was conscious enough to know exactly how much time was left in the round and went back to my stool, got myself together, got an earful from my coach, and I went right back to work even more focused for rounds 9, 10, 11 & 12.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Would you consider getting back in the ring sometime soon with Joe Mesi if he is in fact deemed healthy enough to compete?
DaVarryl Williamson: Well that is obviously, as I have mentioned in another interview, I feel that I will meet Joe again, either on the way up or the way down. Hopefully that works out. Mesi hasn't been real eager to fight guys that he has fought before, for whatever reason. I would love the opportunity to redeem myself against Joe Mesi, maybe not in Buffalo, but this would be a huge opportunity if he would give me the chance. I would definitely welcome the opportunity with open arms. We'll just see what happens. Right now he is #1 in the WBC, I'm #10, I don't know about his health issues, my understanding is that he has a medical suspension that is indefinite, but I want to hope that he is alright and can continue, but if not, God Bless.
Salvatore Urciuoli: How much will the big fight experience generated the first time around help you to deal with the inevitable hoopla and distractions that go along with such an event?
DaVarryl Williamson: I think it would help me tremendously. If nothing else I learned how to deal with a huge crowd, HBO, national exposure. It's just a fight, its going to be you, another guy and a referee. So if you can keep your composure, it's no big deal. Obviously in the Mesi fight I got the short end of the stick, but I think I've grown so much through that fight, that I'll cherish it for the rest of my life.
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DaVarryl Williamson: What is that a trick question? I think ample boxing skills regardless. You have to hit the targets until the targets are no longer there. I would box anyone; I'm not going to look for a knockout in the first or second round, those things just happen. No one is really anticipating that kind of thing; I don't care what they say. Sometime you'll hit a guy and his legs will go a little funny, or his eyes go back in his head and you tell yourself "I'd better jump on him, maybe he's hurt or shaken up" but I'll never say I'm going to KO someone in the first or second round, no you need to use your boxing skills to hit the target until the target is no longer there. That is the method I would use to box Joe Mesi.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Please rate the top five heavyweights in the world right now.
DaVarryl Williamson: Well, I would have to say that DaVarryl Williamson is in the Top 5, whether the sanctioning bodies want to recognize it or not. I think that obviously Chris Byrd, because he has proven himself time and time again, coming up from middleweight to hold his own, actually more than hold his own, he is an overachiever. I think Vitali Klitschko is in a very good position because he is the recognized Heavyweight Champion, but I don't know how long he'll stay there, but I think he is good for now. Someone like James Toney is another guy who is an overachiever, but can cause a lot of complications in the heavyweight division because of his style. I don't think anyone can get away from 'Touch of Sleep' because I am able to prove that I can out-slick or out-box any the best of them and I can out-punch the bigger guys. I'm hoping that I'm beginning the become a finely tuned machine, if I can just show you a pinch of what I am capable of on June 8th, in terms of boxing, punching, movement, defense, elusiveness, craftiness, the ability to trick guys, I think that I'll leave a sweet taste in your mouth.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Stylistically, who might give you the most trouble out of them and whom might give you the least and why?
DaVarryl Williamson: I can't honestly say that anyone would be stylistically hard for me. Some fights might be more competitive than others, but I don't think anyone is a fight that I would say I can't win, I can beat anyone. Anyone you put in the ring with me, I'll find a way to beat him. I don't ever want to underestimate anyone or overestimate them, these guys are men like I am, they put their pants on the same way as I do.
Salvatore Urciuoli: What is your impression of the wide open heavyweight division as a whole?
DaVarryl Williamson: I'm happy, I'm a happy man. Obviously because I am one of the talents, one of the horses that could take over. I want people to see that DaVarryl is more than just a boxer, that he can put it together and really mesmerize the viewers, that he can get away with certain moves, so that the viewer is asking themselves "how'd he do that?". I want the viewers to tune in on June 8th so that they can see what the Heavyweight division is getting ready for, it's the 'Touch of Sleep', you have to see me to believe me.
Salvatore Urciuoli: Does the retirement of Lennox Lewis coupled with the title reigns of fighters like Lamon Brewster and John Ruiz give you a newfound passion and motivation for your second trip up the heavyweight ranks?
DaVarryl Williamson: I never lost my first passion, I've always been hungry, I've always had a roar from within to make this happen. Once I make a commitment to do something, I won't stop until I satisfy that commitment. I want to become the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World, and retire as the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. That would be a nice segue into the rest of my life.
Salvatore Urciuoli: What is your impression of these reality shows like NBC's "The Contender" and FOX's "The Next Great Champ". Are they good for boxing, bad for boxing, and is it something that you would be interested in?
DaVarryl Williamson: Definitely, Id be interested because if you take American Idol, The Apprentice, all these different Survivor shows. These are very good because this is what Americans want. Why not keep boxing on the forefront, we as a sport of boxing don't get enough exposure unless there is a big fight involving Mike Tyson or De La Hoya. On a normal show we don't get enough attention, so these reality shows would be very good because it would show people that boxers are normal people in life, they are just trying to find their way, I mean they are out there in the hustle and bustle of life, these blue collar workers, more so than white collar workers, are boxers. A lot of people can relate to boxers, to blue collar workers, they can identify with the labor, the long weeks, the need to make ends meet. So I really think these reality shows would be very good for boxing, I think it will allow people to watch and say "Oh, I didn't know that." I'd like to be a part of it if it's possible and an ideal situation, I'd love to be a part of it.
Salvatore Urciuoli: What should the viewers expect from 'Touch of Sleep' when they tune into ESPN2 on Tuesday, June 8th?
DaVarryl Williamson: They should expect that DaVarryl is going to out-think this guy. He is going to use his experience, his speed to show .... The optical illusion, I'm there then I'm not, he thought I was over there and I wasn't. It's going to be a beautiful thing, we are really preparing for this, it's my shot on national TV and we have to have a really, really good show to move onto the next level.
For more information in DaVarryl 'Touch of Sleep' Williamson, check him out on ESPN's Tuesday Night Fights (June 8th) or at his website at www.tosboxing.com
Also a big thank you to Luke Chance for assisting in the interview!
