Williams rips into Team Dann by Ben Carey Jun 24th 2005

Richard Williams has launched a scathing attack on British middleweight king Scott Dann following Dann's decision not to defend his crown against the Stockwell man on July 15th after mandatory challenger Wayne Elcock pulled out due to sustaining a damaged finger. The Dann-Elcock clash will now be rescheduled for either September or October after promoter Chris Sanigar elected to scrap the entire Plymouth show. The popular Dann annexed the vacant British title with a sixth round stoppage over the previously unbeaten Steve Bendall in September and followed this up with crushing wins over Alan Jones (also unbeaten in three rounds) and most recently Andy Halder in the opening stanza before being ordered to defend against Elcock. “The fight was a mandatory defence and would have given Scott Dann the opportunity to win the belt outright. Due to the British Boxing Board of Control rules stating the champion must win a mandatory defence to win the belt outright no other opponent could replace Wayne Elcock,” explained Sanigar to BBN yesterday. Naturally, Williams' handlers, Matchroom Sport, saw things rather differently and pushed hard to secure their charge an unexpected title opportunity stating: “Whilst we still respect Scott Dann for wanting to win a Lonsdale belt outright, the plain fact of the matter is that if he had beaten Richard and Wayne Elcock he would have kept the belt.” Williams, 19-3-1 (16), who currently tips the scales at around 11st 10lbs, was even successfully checked weighed by General Board Secretary Simon Block but ultimately to no avail. “I'm pissed off with Boxing right now and I'm going to have to seriously ponder my future. I've got a wife and two kids and I need to put food on the table. Generally I'm upbeat in my life but I've not fought for eight months and I can't keep going on like this,” bemoaned nice guy Williams to BBN. “I was prepared to fight him (Dann) on three weeks notice and he's a southpaw. It's common knowledge that I struggle against southpaws as all of my defeats have come against them (twice to Sergio Martinez and an early career setback against Michael Alexander). However, I'll always fight anyone,” reiterated the former Commonwealth and IBO light-middleweight champion. After suffering comprehensive back-to-back defeats to Argentina's talented Sergio Martinez, the 34-year-old returned at middleweight easily disposing of Szaboics Rimovsyky in three rounds last November. But instead of this kickstarting Williams stuttering career he has frustratingly being left on the sidelines ever since. “I've got a new trainer (Brian Lawrence) and I feel much more comfortable at middleweight now I'm not battling to get down to 11 stone anymore so its been very frustrating being sat here waiting for the phone to ring. It saddens me that a so called champion (Dann) is not prepared to prove this by stepping up to the plate to do his job. It's probably not his decision, I know he's their (the Sanigars') cash cow and they are probably worried about him getting beat,” suggested Williams. And Williams has little doubt that the British middleweight title will change hands should he get Dann in the ring anytime soon. “I will knock him spark out and I'll knock Elcock out as well. I will destroy any middleweight in Britain. The only one who would be competitive with me would be Howard Eastman. The rest of them will get obliterated.”

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Richard Williams II Jul 4th 2005, 08:26:15 by truthsayer Further to an earlier email I hope Richard Williams gets his wish and the title opportunity he deserves