Leon Williams: Friendship’s On Hold Until After Saturday’s Title Fight

Whilst all the recent media focus has been on next week’s highly controversial Heavyweight clash, between David Haye and Dereck Chisora, another, and probably far more significant, Clash of the Titans takes place this coming Saturday, with the long awaited showdown, between former British Cruiserweight Champion Leon ‘Solid’ Williams and current Southern Area Champ Tony ‘Conqueror’ Conquest, taking place at York Hall in Bethnal
Green.

After three false starts, each due to injury, this most defining of domestic Cruiserweight battles will also decide, for once and for all, just who is the Capital’s true #1 of the division as well as, along the line, earn the winner a shot at the coveted Lonsdale Belt.

The early betting seems to be heavily in favour of Streatham’s Former Champ Williams. No surprise really, as when the pair met as Amateurs, Romford’s Conquest was knocked out in just 45 seconds of the first round!

Earlier today, following his final training session at the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, Leon Williams spoke briefly on the upcoming battle with his old foe and good friend Tony Conquest,  “We’re really good friends but that’s on hold until after the fight, during the fight it’s purely business.

The plan is to just get my rounds in, punch hard and keep pressuring him and get the win, then say sorry afterwards and I’ll be the first to buy him a drink.

Then I want a shot at getting back my British title. That’s the main goal and that’s where my motivation for this fight is coming from. If it wasn’t a stepping stone to get the Lonsdale belt back where it belongs, with me,
I probably wouldn’t have taken the fight.

The Southern Area title isn’t really what I want to fight for, I’m not devaluing the title at all, it’s a very worthwhile title, just me and my team feel it is a backward step as I was British Champ earlier this year.

I will get back there, but first I have to win this fight, and I will win this fight. We train hard at the TRAD TKO, me, Johnny (Manager/Coach Johnny Eames) and Barry (co-trainer Barry Smith) and we will get back to where we were, and I will get my British title back.”

Leon ‘Solid’ Williams versus Tony ‘Conqueror’ Conquest  for the Southern Area Cruiserweight title co-headlines Olivia Goodwin’s ‘One More Round’ event at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London on Saturday 7th July 2012.

There are limited tickets, priced £60 (Ringside) and £35 (Standard Seated), still available, for Leon Williams vs. Tony Conquest, on-line now at www.tkoboxoffice.com - tickets are also be available direct from Leon Williams or the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.

EON ‘SOLID’ WILLIAMS Vs. TONY ‘CONQUEROR’ CONQUEST Southern Area Cruiserweight Championship 7th July 2012 @

GOODWIN MAIN EVENTS: L York Hall, London

 


For Immediate Release

London - Wednesday, 13th June 2012


Former Champ Williams Ready For July 7th Title Showdown With Conquest.

After three false starts, the long awaited showdown, between former British Cruiserweight Champion Leon ‘Solid’ Williams and Southern Area Champ Tony ‘Conqueror’ Conquest, is finally set to take place, on the Olivia Goodwin promoted ‘One More Round’ event at York Hall on Saturday 7th July.

The last time this highly anticipated Clash of the Titans was due to take place was back in January, as Williams’ first defense of his British Crown, however Conquest was forced to withdraw due to a viral infection.

With Conquest out  Williams instead defended against Nottingham’s Shane McPhilbin.

For eleven rounds Williams totally dominated the proceedings, including sending McPhilbin to the canvas twice. However after just thirty seconds of the final round things took a dramatic turn, for the worse, after McPhilbin landed a powerful clubbing shot, to the back of the defending Champ’s head, which ultimately lead to the fight being stopped and a new British Champion crowned.

With no quick rematch with McPhilbin, or a shot at current British Champ Enzo Maccarinelli on the horizon, the only way Williams could get back into the Championship mix this year would be to challenge his good friend
Conquest.

A situation that wasn’t lost on the former Champ, as he made clear when he spoke briefly, following a training session at the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, earlier. “Yeah it’s a stepping stone, I know I gave up the Southern Area
title before I beat Rob Norton and became British Champ, but it does lead to bigger and better things.

God willing, I’ll get the chance to get my Lonsdale belt back after beating Tony on the 7th.

No make that Johnny willing, Johnny, my manager Johnny Eames, will do the business side for me, I’ve just got to win.

Preparation has been very good, sparring has been the best. I’m Dereck Chisora’s main sparring partner, so that’s good experience and I learn from it all the time.

This is really going to help me with the fight. Dereck’s a very big, strong guy and after all this work Tony will feel like a lightweight in comparison - Thank you Dereck Chisora.

I’m not trashing Tony, he’s a good friend of mine and a very good boxer, but there’s no friendship when you step in the ring, you fight, and that’s what we’re going to do - fight.

Team Solid is back...and climbing the ladder to the top. Team Solid all day, every Day...Yeah.”

Leon ‘Solid’ Williams versus Tony ‘Conqueror’ Conquest  for the Southern Area Cruiserweight title co-headlines Olivia Goodwin’s ‘One More Round’ event at York Hall in Bethnal Green, London on Saturday 7th July 2012.

Tickets, priced £60 (Ringside) and £35 (Standard Seated), for Leon Williams vs. Tony Conquest are available on-line now at www.tkoboxoffice.com - tickets are also be available direct from Leon Williams or the TRAD TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.