By Ben Jacobs

On some occasions fights are made which build up the expectations of fans who await a classic match-up only to be left disappointed at the resulting performance of both combatants.  However, when the idea was mooted that Maryland’s Thomas Williams Jr (19-1, 13 KOs) could meet Edwin Rodríguez (28-1, 19 KOs) in the ring, nobody believed that could fall into the category of let downs.  Williams himself agreed with that theory when he spoke to BoxingScene.com about the April 30 clash.

“I see this fight ending pretty quick, I know it won’t go the distance,” he declared. 

“He tries to be game but he’s wild with it.  I’ve been in shoot-out fights.  I had a couple of fights where I had to dig down deep and show character, this won’t be my first type of brawl.  No disrespect to him but I don’t see that much.  Though I can say it will be fun and entertaining.”

On November 13 last year Williams stopped Umberto Savigne in two rounds while Rodríguez engaged in a fight of the year style brawl with Michael Seals, finishing him in the third.  Both bouts while short were hugely entertaining and arranging a fight between the two seemed a natural course of events.

“I saw this fight coming, we were both on the same card.  I was the co-main event, he was the main event.  I kind of knew when we both came out victorious that it could happen.

“Anytime I can get in the ring and put my God given talents to work I’m always excited.  I just want to go in there and get a win.  Me being in the ring is like being at home, I just like competing.

“I watched his fight with Andre Ward but I don’t remember it at all.  I watched it as a boxing fan but I do remember him giving up a lot of money on the scales.”

Williams believes that the winner will launch himself into the mix for a possible title shot at some point during 2016 and he admitted to not being overly impressed with the current WBC champion at light heavyweight, Adonis Stevenson.

“The winner of this fight puts himself in the talk for a big fight at light heavyweight.  It’s not an official eliminator though but we will put our name in there.

“Stevenson is trying to get the most money from fighting the least opposition.  Who has he fought?  Apart from Fonfara he hasn’t really fought anyone.  He fought a washed up Chad Dawson, that kid Tommy Karpency.  Eventually he will have to step up and fight somebody.  I do think Eleider Álvarez would give him good work. But if you take the left hand away from Stevenson he doesn’t have much, that left hand is his bread and butter.”

The bout is part of a big card on PBC of FOX which features Victor Ortiz against Andre Berto as the main event.