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FNN Exclusive
Interview: Rubin "Hollywood" Williams |
By TROY ONDRIZEK
Staff Writer Fight Night News
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Rubin
"Hollywood" Williams (29-2 16KO) is
a name that is too often overlooked
in the super middleweight division.
Williams, though, gets full respect
from his peers in the game and is
looking to earn the respect and
admiration of fans the world over.
Williams came short in his only
title bid against Jeff Lacy back in
‘05. Rubin talked about that fight
and his new strategy to achieve his
ultimate goal of being the
recognized world champion at 168
pounds.
FNN: Rubin nice to talk to you
again, you ready to start?
Rubin: "Hey Troy, yeah, let's
do this." |
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FNN: What have you been up to
during your forced layoff?
Rubin: "Well, I've been back
training for about two weeks now. I
have been sparring with Jerson
Ravelo preparing for his fight with
Allan Green. I have been running a
bit periodically and lifting a
little weights, but I basically eat
what I want and exercise every once
in a while and because of that I get
kind of big."
FNN: In a recent press release you
called out the entire division, but
you focused on Jeff Lacy and Allan
Green, have you received a response
from anyone especially Lacy or
Green?
Rubin: "No. I mean I know Green has
his fight with Ravelo and he isn't
going to respond until after that
fight, but Lacy has been quiet and
so has everyone else. I'm looking to
fight December 15, but I don't have
an opponent."
FNN: First, we'll address you
wanting to fight Lacy. What did you
learn from your first fight with him
and what would you do differently
the second time around to assure
victory?
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Rubin: "I
would keep the fight
in the middle of the
ring. No need for a
slugfest. I got
drawn by my own
accord into a brawl
with Lacy. It was
simply a mental
mistake. Sure I took
the fight on two
weeks notice, but
that had nothing to
do with why I lost,
no excuses here
Troy. I knew I could
beat Lacy, and I
thought I could beat
him at his own game.
He didn't send me
into the ropes, I
backed myself into
the ropes thinking I
could counter him,
and I found out that
was a bad idea. I
would just simply
stay in the middle
of the ring and box
him to death. I will
fight my fight." |
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FNN: You and Allan
Green have made
public statements
about fighting each
other. What is the
history behind your
rivalry?
Rubin: "I'm not
sure. Allan Green
starting calling me
out one day like he
calls everyone out
and said how he is
the best and
everything, and I
would like to prove
he isn't. He called
me out when I was
injured, and now
that I'm healthy he
is quiet. You know,
Troy, I was down in
Florida sparring
with Antonio Tarver
helping him prepare
for Roy Jones, Jr.,
and I was in a group
of three sparring
partners. The other
two men involved
were Jaidon
Codrington and
Jerson Ravelo. Green
beat Codrington and
is now fighting
Ravelo, and if by
some miracle he gets
by my boy, I'll be
happy for him to try
to beat all three of
us. I guess he has a
thing for the guys
involved in sparring
with Tarver and that
is his mistake."
FNN: What do you
think of Teddy Atlas
and Joe Tessitore of
ESPN and their hype
job of Allan Green,
and is he the real
deal?
Rubin: "It's
ridiculous, it's
absolutely
ridiculous. I mean
they talk about him
like he is the
greatest prospect in
the game. Green
hasn't showed
nothing yet. He
doesn't have great
hand-speed or
dynamic power. I
mean he has some
nice knockouts and
I'm not taking
anything away from
him as a fighter.
Green is a good
fighter, but he
isn't near as good
and those guys make
him out to be. He
has some skill, but
I would take him
into deep waters and
drown him. Allan
Green isn't on my
level."
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FNN: I know
Ravelo is your boy,
how do you think his
fight with Green
will go down?
Rubin: "Ravelo,
KO in 5."
FNN: That's a
definitive
statement, if there
isn't a stoppage,
what would Ravelo
need to do to
capture a points
victory?
Rubin: "If it
goes the distance,
and let me tell you,
Troy that is a big
if. If it goes the
distance, Jerson is
a busier fighter and
will bring the fight
to Green and
pressure him and
just by outworking
Green, he will get a
decision victory."
FNN: Okay, if
Ravelo gets past
Green, will you and
Ravelo fight? |
Rubin: "It
would have to be
for big money. I
mean Jerson is
my boy and it
would take big
money for us to
go against each
other."
FNN:
Would the fight
be boring like
Barrett/Rahman
or
Brewster/Meehan?
Those guys were
all supposed
friends and
their fights
stunk.
Rubin:
"No, the fight
would be
exciting as
hell, non-stop
action
throughout."
FNN:
Okay, I'm going
to put you on
the spot. Who
would win the
fight?
Rubin:
(laughing) "No
comment, none at
all."
FNN: Two
big fights
coming up,
Calzaghe/Bika
and
Kessler/Beyer.
Who are the
winners of these
fights, and how
would you go
about defeating
them?
Rubin: "I
think Calzaghe
wins a relative
easy fight. He
won't look as
good as he did
against Lacy.
Lacy was
tailor-made for
Joe. I have seen
Joe fight many
times and he
never looked as
good before the
Lacy fight as he
did during it.
Lacy comes at
you and reacts
to what you are
throwing, when
you are done
throwing, and
then he will
return fire. All
Joe had to do
was punch and
move, and he did
just that.
Kessler will win
a close fight
with Beyer."
FNN:
(interrupting
like an idiot)
Close? You think
the
Kessler/Beyer
fight will be
close?
Rubin:
"Yeah, why, you
don't? Well I
can see why you
don't think it
will be close,
but Beyer is
smart in the
ring and will
use his
experience to
keep Kessler off
balance. Don't
get me wrong, I
think Kessler
will win this,
but it won't be
as one-sided as
people think. To
answer the other
part of your
original
question, all I
would do to
defeat Calzaghe
is throw the
right hand
followed by a
left hook. I
would throw that
combo over and
over and the
fight would be
mine, enough
said. I would
LOVE, LOVE,
LOVE, to fight
Kessler. His
style
compliments
mine. He is a
come forward
fighter and I
can counter and
outbox him. That
would be a great
fight for me and
one I have been
waiting for for
some time. I had
a fight set up
with Kessler,
but due to
managerial
problems the
fight didn't go
through. I tried
to set it up
myself and I
know he has to
fight Librado
Andrade for his
mandatory, and
after that I
want to fight
Kessler. Now
don't think I'am
avoiding
Calzaghe, but
Kessler is a
better fighter
and I would
enjoy beating
him more."
FNN: What
is your
timetable for
another world
title shot?
Rubin:
"2007
definitely.
Early 2007 is my
goal."
FNN: That
means your
December 15
fight will be
against a ranked
opponent?
Rubin:
"Right now we
don't have any
opponent. I
hoping to be
ranked in the
top 15 in the
month and have
one of the
champs
mistakenly fight
me as an
optional
defense. I have
faith in
Silverhawk to
get me a great
fight. I would
like to have a
very productive
2007 and an
early title
fight would do a
lot for that."
FNN:
Rubin, can you
win the title
and fight all
the meaningful
fights that
champions like
Calzaghe and
Sven Ottke
avoided?
Rubin:
"If management
does their job
right, yes. I am
willing to fight
anybody. I favor
myself against
all super
middleweights. I
am a mature and
smart fighter
and I study film
of all the other
top fighters. I
can beat
everybody at the
top in time."
FNN: Well
with that how
much time is
left in your
career and do
you feel you'll
be able to
accomplish your
lofty goals?
Rubin:
"Well I have
four to five
years at the
most. And in
that time I
don't see any
problem fighting
the best and
unifying the
belts. I know I
need to start by
beating the true
champion at the
weight division
in Calzaghe and
then I'll move
on from their.
There are a lot
of quality
fighters in this
division and a
lot of good
fights can be
made and a lot
of money as
well. I have the
skills to
accomplish this,
it's just who
has the guts to
fight me."
FNN:
Rubin, any last
words to our
readers and your
fans?
Rubin:
"Uh, yeah, I
will win a world
title and I will
not disappoint
you like I did
against Lacy.
And thank you
for supporting
me."
Rubin Williams
has matured in
the ring as well
as out of it. He
makes no excuses
for being in the
career position
he is now. Will
his achievements
mach his
aspirations?
Only his fist
and time will
tell. Rubin is a
darkhorse in the
division and can
be very
dangerous for
anybody.
Silverhawk
promotions will
guide him to
where he needs
to go and Rubin
will be in good
hands. I would
love to see if
Allan Green can
get past
Williams, and a
fight with
Williams would
be a good fit
for Lacy. Maybe
he won't break
down mentally
from the
Calzaghe fight
knowing he's
going against
someone he has
defeated. There
are many
interesting
match-ups in
this
weight-class and
Williams is a
big part of
that. I would
like to thank
Rubin Williams
for taking the
time to talk to
FightNightNews
and I would like
to thank Al
Mermini of
Silverhawk
promotions for
setting this
interview up.
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