Julian Williams Captures Unified Title From Jarrett Hurd!

(PHOTOS BY TRAPPFOTOS)

In the highly anticipated main event at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia featuring Jarrett Hurd vs. Julian Williams it was Williams who got the unanimous decision win. Williams got off to a early start by putting together some good combinations. Williams was the quicker fighter tonight. In the second round both fighters were against the ropes and Williams landed a hard left hook to send Hurd to the canvas for the first time in his career. Williams was able to land more clean shots to win a couple more early rounds going into the fifth. It was going into the halfway point of the bout when Hurd looked to step up the pressure on Williams as he used his body to move Williams around.  Hurd started to use his jab and added some body shots to slow Williams down. After round seven things looked to be close. When Hurd used his jab he would have his moments of landing shots while Williams would return good shots of his own. Hurd suffered a cut on the corner of his right eye in an exchange of punches as the two battled to the sound of the bell. In round ten Hurd applied good pressure to start the round off, but it was Williams who finished strong. Williams finished the final round with a flurry of punches as the bell sounded. All three judges scored the bout in Williams favor with scores of 116-111, and 115-112 twice. Hurd suffers the first defeat of his career and falls to (23-1, 16 KO's) while Julian Williams become unified champion at (27-1-1, 16 KO's).

Post Fight Quotes:

Julian Williams:

"I am just overwhelmed. This is such a great feeling. I outclassed him. I am one of the best fighters in the world. Maybe I wasn't ready for the title the first time I got the shot. 

"I took the loss. I took it like a man and the whole world doubted me. I went into this fight a five to one underdog. I

"He wasn't easier to hit than I thought. He was crafty and he had heavy hands. I just stayed poised. I listened to my coach and I just worked. 

"He couldn't hurt me. I saw everything he was throwing. I knocked him down. 

"The game plan was to win however I could. I adapted on the fly. We knew he had certain tendencies and worked on his tendencies. 

"This is a dream come true. I have been waiting for this for years. I never ditched the gym. I never got into girls or left the gym. I am from the streets, but I was never in the streets. I was in the gym practicing my craft. 

"The only people that believed in me were my team, but all I can say is 'and the new'!"

Jarrett Hurd:

“I wasn’t able to get off. I can’t really call it right now. I have to go back and watch. I was loading up on my shots instead of just letting my hands go."

"It didn’t really change my strategy. It was a flash knockdown. It caught me by surprise. I wasn’t really hurt.  J-Rock was just the better man tonight and I was never really able to get off the way I wanted to."

"There’s definitely a rematch clause in our contract and I’m going to go for it. I’m going to come back better than I was tonight."

ERNESTO RODRIGUEZ, Hurd Trainer:

"It was J-Rock's night. There is nothing you can say about it.

"He was humbled by a tough defeat. Won three or four fights and then did his job.

"I realized after the third round, I could see he was thinking and doing what I expected.

"It wasn't the pressure of being home for Jarrett. J-Rock was the better fighter tonight.

"We want the rematch. Our preparation will be better."

STEPHEN EDWARDS, Williams Trainer:

"I am not shocked. I am just happy.  We just knew that we were going to win. There are certain things that you just know. He trained so hard and he was so ready, I just knew.

"We studied him. Both me and Julian. We had him down pat. We knew Julian was stronger.


"I don't know if Hurd underestimated Julian. That is for him to know. I am just happy."