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Showing posts with label Chris Strait. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chris Strait. Show all posts
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Hollywood Fight Night Weigh-In Results And Photos
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHT RETURNS TO FLORENTINE GARDENS SEPTEMBER 20TH
TERRELL WILLIAMS GAINING MOMENTUM
Like many other fighters... welterweight Terrell Williams (6-0-5 KO's) followed his brother into the gym. Dwain "Tyger" Williams was a California State Middleweight Champion in the last decade, and the first in his family to box. However, the elder Williams was done as a boxer before he turned 24. His brother was just turning pro around the same age. The younger Williams may have come to boxing early, but like many, left and came back to it later. Although he is the youngest of 6 children, he has been forging his own path ever since. Chris Strait of www.convictedartist.com tal
CS: Where are you from?
TW: Los Angeles... West L.A. but I train in Van Nuys now.
CS: When did you first start fighting?
TW: I was 8 years old. I had around 60 amateur fights (only 6 losses), but most of them were before I got into high school. Then I stopped boxing altogether.
CS: When did you come back?
TW: I was 21, and had maybe 6-8 more fights, tops. I went into the golden gloves, then decided to turn pro.
CS: You've had a lot of gaps in activity for a fighter with only 6 fights. What led to that?
TW: I had to work. I was working 10 hour days as a forklift operator.
CS: But this will be your third fight in as many months.
TW: Exactly, and I hope to fight a couple more times before the end of the year.
CS: How is your support system different now?
TW: I have a backer in John White, and my trainer Shaheed Suluki. Also, my brother is a big part of my life and career, as is my wife.
CS: You just got married, too, right?
TW: Yes, and she supports me 100%. Both emotional, and cooking for me, etc. getting me ready for fights.
CS: What do you know about your opponent on Sept 20?
TW: Not much, but I know he started out as a unbeaten prospect, then had a losing streak.. so he'll be trying to score the upset to get his career back on track.
CS: You have a 5-knockout streak going now. is that something you aim for?
TW: I'm enjoying it, but I always train for distance. If the knockouts keep coming.. that's a blessing, but I'm ready to go the distance. I'm a boxer-puncher, and lately the fights have been going the way I want them to.
CS: Any tense moments yet?
TW: Just the nerves of the pro debut.. and pre-fight. With every fight, that gets easier, but I just try to overcome nerves prior to the fight. Once the bell rings, I'm fine.
CS: How soon can you see yourself in serious contention?
TW: About a year and a half.. Hopefully get to 10-0 by end of this year, and then 8 or 9 fights next year.
CS: Who have you been working with? Sparring partners?
TW: A lot of people, I go to 'Wild Card' for sparring, too. Javier Molina, "Lucky Boy" (Wale Omatoso), Zach Wohlman, Mike Dallas Jr, Ty Barnett, and just my team: Matt and Jesse Villanueva, Ismail Sillakh...
CS: Can people follow you on social media?
TW: I know I need to get with the times (laughs), but I've been slow to do that... by the next interview, I'll have all of that, but for now, no. I just want to thank Andy Price (former welterweight contender) for helping get me started, and him and Shaheed for believing in me, and knowing that I had something.
Terrell Williams takes on Las Vegas' Lawrence Hughes (4-4-3 KOs) on September 20, 2012 at Florentine Gardens in Hollywood, CA.
Tickets to HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHT can be purchased online by going towww.hollywoodfightnight.com or by calling (626) 388-8888. HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHT takes place on Thursday, September 20, 2012 at the Florentine Gardens, located at 5955 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood, California.
Doors Open at 7:00pm, First Bout at 7:15pm sharp. Tickets to HOLLYWOOD FIGHT NIGHT start at $45. All bouts are subject to change.
Friday, July 6, 2012
Interview with Zachary "Kid Yamaka" Wohlman
Interview Available For Distribution
By Chris Strait
Zachary Wohlman adapts to his surroundings. I'm not just speaking of his having the rare ability to train at the wild card gym even in the beginning of his pro career; sparring against some of the best, and learning from trainers Freddie Roach and Eric Brown. I'm speaking of the very reason he began boxing in the first place. Most boxers describe themselves nowadays as warriors, at least on these shores. However, Zac Wolhman said he fell in love with "boxing, not fighting", and it is that which guides and facilitates his learning curve. It was not always that way. Writer Chris Strait sat down with "Kid Yamaka", as he prepares for his 4th pro fight next week, against Jose Martell of Arizona, in his own backyard of Hollywood, CA.
CS: Your nickname obviously makes you stand out, as there are not many Jewish boxers nowadays. Where did that come from?
ZW: I actually didn't get bar-mitzvah-ed until a few years ago. I came back to my faith later, and Kid Yamaka (yarmulke) was a nickname given to me in the gym. You either pick your nickname or it picks you. Mine definitely picked me, but the more people heard it, they were like, "hey, that's a really good nickname".
CS: How did you begin boxing? And at what age?
ZW: I was 14, and I went to military school on the Texas/Mexican border. I was nervous to be there, so I told them I was a boxer to gain respect.
CS: Did you know how to box?
ZW: I knew nothing! (laughs), I was so aggressive when they put me in there, to make up for the fact that I didn't know what I was doing. Ironic, now that I am more of a pure boxer.
CS: Did your style come from necessity, sparring against guys like Amir Khan and Alfonso Gomez?
ZW: I always rise to the level of my opposition, so I learn a ton from them. This is my last 4-rounder, and I am looking forward to going more rounds. But I love boxing, not fighting, and that's what this sport is.
CS: Do you feel your style is better suited to longer fights?
ZW: Oh yeah, you're only getting started breaking a guy down in 4 rounds, and if you suffer a flash knockdown, you have to get up and dominate, just to win a one-point decision. I train for longer fights.
CS: You were forced to fight fast a bit in your last fight. Tell us about that experience... getting rocked slightly, and then having your opponent quit with a broken hand.
ZW: Well, I don't think he had a broken hand. My pride/humility won't allow me to take credit for it, but I think he came at me hard, caught me behind the head with a looping shot, and when it didn't finish me, he found a soft spot to lay down in.
CS: What did you learn from that?
ZW: Well, first that I could take a shot - I was still standing, so that's good to know. Second, that I should take my time. I was feeling the KO pressure (his first two fights were decision wins), and I let that get to me.
CS: Did you know anything about him coming in?
ZW: No, I like to have tape, but that fight, I hadn't seen anything.
CS: So, you do like to study tapes of your opponent?
ZW: Yes, some fighters don't, but I would rather know they are good... I have no problem with that. I don't mind them being good, so I'd rather know that then know nothing. I don't want to get to a weigh-in and have that be the first time I see that the guy is a foot taller than me. (laughs)
CS: Being trained and managed well in the beginning of your career (by Freddie Roach and Steven Bash, respectively), you haven't had to take short notice fights. Do you do training camps, or stay in gym constantly?
ZW: I'm pretty much always in the gym. The only break I took was when i went to Italy with Paulie (Malignaggi).. and even then I was sparring with him.
CS: Is he someone you look up to?
ZW: He's like a big brother to me... he was there, helping me before my first pro fight. I hadn't been out of the country before that Italy trip. It was crazy being there as a professional boxer, too. Only had 3 fights, and boxing's already taking me all over the world.
CS: Is Freddie your primary trainer, or is Eric Brown?
ZW: Freddie makes all the decisions, and he will be in my corner this fight. He's the main guy, but I don't want to discredit all the work Eric does. It's about 60/40.
CS: How do you see your development progressing?
ZW: It's step by step. Let's get to 8-0, let's get on ESPN, and keep moving forward. I might move down to 140. My legs and movement are my strength.
CS: Where can people find out more about you?
ZW: At my website, you can get to my FB and twitter from there, too. www.zacharywohlman.com
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