"Awesome" Mike Williams

Longtime Houston fight fans will no doubt remember Mike Williams, as he was one of the city's top heavyweight contenders back in the eighties and nineties. His career includes an 8th round TKO win over James "Quick" Tillis in January of 1987 in Houston and a split decision loss to Tim Witherspoon in Atlantic City in October of 1987. Williams also lost to James "Buster" Douglas in June of 1988 and lost to Alex Garcia as he challenged for the N.A.B.F. Heavyweight Title in 1993. He finished with a record of 22-6 with 14 KO's. His last fight was a sixth-round TKO loss to Lawrence Clay Bey in Detroit in September of 2000 Williams also earned a place in film history by playing Heavyweight Champion Union Cane in the movie Rocky V. In fact his film credits include parts in more than a dozen movies and T.V. productions. Recently Williams has been training fighters in Conroe, and he now says he is about to make a comeback. That might seem improbable, if not unwise for a 45-year-old man, until you take a look at Williams. To say he's in shape would be an understatement. At 6'4", he sports a solid, chiseled physique that many men half his age would envy. While he used the nickname "Mercury" during his first pro career, he says he plans to switch to "Awesome" for the comeback. We spoke with him before the bouts at the recent Rock Solid Promotions Card in Houston.


HBS - Are you originally from Houston?

MW - I'm originally from Louisiana but I've lived in Houston for quite some time. I started my professional career out here in Houston.

HBS - Give us some of the highlights of your career.

MW - Over the years, I was one of the crew of the 1984 Olympics with Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Frank Tate and after that Josephine Abercrombie, who did wonders for my career, under a guy named Bob Spagnola, recruited us all from that '84 Olympics and I turned professional September 3rd, 1984. I fought 21 fights under the sponsorship of Josephine Abercrombie and decided to move on, sparring with Mike Tyson in 1986 and worked with him for about nine years. That's why I guess we never got to fight and the same thing I guess with Evander Holyfield, worked with him and worked with Michael Spinks, a lot of champions. It's just sad to see that sometimes you don't want to get in the ring with certain fighters because it means you won't get the opportunity to fight them. I satisfied with how my career turned out so far and right now I'm training fighters, getting ready for the next National Golden Gloves and we're looking at that right now, devoting my time pretty much to the kids with hopes of possibly competing myself right here some time next year. I haven't hung 'em up.

HBS - You haven't hung 'em up yet?

MW - This is the first publication that I've told that to so you're getting it first.

HBS - Some people might think that coming back would not be the best idea but you can look at Evander Holyfield and he recently fought for a title in his forties.

MW - Yeah but don't compare me to Evander. Look, Muhammad Ali was given a comeback, George Foreman was given a comeback. Hey, fighters, that's what we do. We come back to redeem ourselves. So why not give me my chance? I've given Houston over 20 years of boxing for people to come out here and enjoy themselves on a night like this so all I'm asking for is my chance and I'm sure that people will come out and see me because there's one thing they can't get out of their mind and that's the memory of the fun and the good entertainment that I sent to them. I was amusement to them.

HBS - You were a top echelon fighter and you're obviously still in great shape.

MW - I've matured. I'm matured in what I'm doing. I'm just talking from that. If from looking at my you think I'm in shape, I tell you what, you get in the ring with me, I will push it with teenagers and kids, 25, 24, 36, that's how I weigh myself. You know I'm able to stay in there and handle myself even better now. So I feel good. I don't feel hurt or anything so I'm going to give it one more shot. Like I said I want my comeback. We all do it. Name me one fighter who hasn't made a comeback. Name me one. Lennox Lewis is the only one I know.

HBS - Tell us about the Douglas fight.

MW - I lost that fight right before he fought Mike Tyson in Tokyo. If I'd have won that fight I'd have got the shot. I fought Tim Witherspoon, Quick Tillis, beat him. I put my time in. I've been boxing all my life. That's all I've done.

HBS - What was the most satisfying win of your career?

MW - I think the most satisfying win of my career was James "Quick" Tillis at the Brookhollow Marriott. That was the fight that let me know that, after he fought Tyson, was one of the only fighters to go the distance with Tyson at the beginning. James "Quick" Tillis, I knocked him out in the eighth round.

HBS - Tell us about how the fight went.

MW - I was just blessed with some good preparation. I had some sparring with Lou Savarese and I was just getting the good training. It was pretty much the height of my career and that test I passed, but a lot of other tests I didn't. But we as fighters we can't look back to our last fight. We have to continue. I think sometimes what you've done keeps you from moving ahead and being a fghter I'm here to tell you that whatever it is, today ain't going to be the same as what it is tomorrow. So I'm here to go on. Boxing was a great release for me. Boxing has served me well. I've traveled the world, put my kids through college, bought a few homes, so whatever is good for boxing, I'm for it. I'm just elated and excited about my comeback.

HBS - What can you tell us about your first upcoming fight?

MW - My first fight's going to be in Johannesburg, South Africa. I'm working with a promoter and I'm going to fight there some time in January around the 18th or 19th. Then my next fight after that I'm going to be in Finland. I'm going to beat the Finland champion. I want two warmup fights before I bring my action back to the states so that's the avenue I'm taking.

HBS - Obviously you think you're still able to compete at the top level.

MW - Most definitely and I'm not something that you're building. I'm already built and I'm ready to go. I need a few warmup fights and I'm ready to fight the top ten, top five, anyone. But give me three warmups. I mean everybody's had a comeback. I've been good to the sport, given a lot back to the people. I mean, give me the opportunity. Give me the chance, and we're going to tell it in the ring what Mike Williams' comeback is going to be and I'm sure you'll be satisfied because it's now Awesome Mike Williams.