Philippines, 12 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Leon ?Solid? Williams interview: Leon talks about his career, Jon Lewis Dickinson, Danny Couzens and more


PhilBoxing.com


This coming Saturday Streatham bad boy Leon ?Solid? Williams defends his Southern Area Cruiserweight title for the first time, at the Graham Earl promoted ?Redemption Day? event at York Hall in London.

Leon is one of the Cruiserweight divisions most exciting and talented young stars, not even the controversial split decision loss to Jon Lewis Dickinson on the Prizefighter - Cruiserweights show or the more recent knockout loss to Richard Turba have dulled his sheen one iota in the eyes of his huge legion of fans, or more importantly those of his promoter Frank Maloney.

Anyone that has seen ?Solid? in action will understand why, Leon is one of those exciting raw talents that gives one hundred and ten percent each and every fight. His style is best likened to a shark, he circles his prey before striking with ferocious precision, and his defensive tactics are simple - attack, attack and attack.

Earlier today I caught up with Leon at the TKO Boxing Gym in Canning Town, where he was undertaking the final preparations for this Saturday?s fight, and managed to pin him down to answer a few questions. So without further ado let?s get down to a serious Q & A session with Mr Leon ?Solid? Williams


Rio - Hi Leon, I know you are busy preparing for your first defense of the Southern Area title so thank you for taking the time to talk with me today. My first question is what influenced you to become a boxer?

Leon - Iron Mike, definitely Mike Tyson. I think the first fight I see him in was against Frank Bruno. It just pumped me up and gave me the drive. So that?s why I am where I am now, that?s why I?m in the Boxing game and living my dream.


Rio - Whilst your pro career is well documented I couldn?t find much on your amateur career, so could you tell us a little about that.

Leon - I joined Balham ABC originally, I was there for a little while then went to Fitzroy Lodge. I think I had about seventeen amateur bouts. It?s not a lot of amateur experience but I didn?t have an amateur style anyway, I was always more suited to the professional game.


Rio - You beat JJ Ojuederie to win the Southern Area title last year, can you tell us about the fight and how you felt to lift your first title.

Leon- I thought he was coming to fight, but he just kept running. For nine rounds he ran and then tried to have a fight in the last round.

It was a great achievement to win the Southern Area title, so yeah I?m happy about that.


Rio - I understand that a rematch with Jon Lewis Dickinson is on the cards, first give us your thoughts on this and the decision that handed him the victory over you in Prizefighter.

Leon - I wasn?t at all happy with that decision, he scored it like amateur boxing. It?s pro competition you don?t score like it?s amateur with points, you score like professional boxing on pressure, bigger shots. You learn form these and just keep it moving, that?s what I?m doing keep it moving.

The promised rematch is great. I?ll put it on him straight away, break the other end of his jaw.


Rio - Your last fight see you suffer your first knockdown, and have a stoppage loss against you. What went wrong?

Leon - That?s down to preparation, it?s what I done the night before, I wont go into detail but I did something that I don?t normally do the night before and that affected me. I think that affected me and I was too relaxed, but we?ve learned from that you know. It?s a learning curve and I?m still learning. You make mistakes and you learn from those mistakes, quite simple.


Rio - You?re now with Johnny Eames at the TKO Boxing Gym, how?s that going?

Leon - Really good, really good. I?ve got a really good relationship with Johnny, he?s gonna really help build me up. You can?t ask for more from a coach and a manager, so yeah it?s great.


Rio - You?re fighting Danny Couzens on Saturday, please give us your thoughts on the fight.

Leon - I?m gonna crush him, it's quite simple, I?m gonna crush him like a biscuit.


Rio - What are your championship aspirations after this fight with Danny?

Leon - Climb the ladder and the next title will hopefully be the English or British. Just keep on moving up, whatever works in the boxing game. I want to conquer the domestic division and then look further afield.

A World title is the long term plan, then again that?s what every boxer wants to do. It?s about achieving that.


Rio - Of all your fights, amateur or pro, which holds the fondest memories?

Leon - When I was in the ABA London finals against Richard Needham. Bad Boy fight, proper fight, we were both going really at it. It was a really good fight, anyone that was there that night will remember that fight because it was a really good fight. The fight of the night by far. That was a great fight.

Unfortunately I lost but it was a really great fight, three knockdowns I think, they gave me a count, it was a really good fight, we really went at it.


Rio - Finally is there anything you would like to say to the fans, especially that noisy ?Team Solid? mob

Leon - Yeah, Team Solid?s good to go, Team Solid?s the future.


Rio - Thank you so much for talking with me today and the best of luck for Saturday.

Leon - Thank you.


Leon ?Solid? Williams defends his Southern Area Cruiserweight title, against Danny Couzens, at the Graham Earl promoted ?Redemption Day? event at York Hall this coming Saturday, 7th May.

For tickets, priced ?35 (Standard) and ?60 (Ringside) call: 07960 850645, book on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or call in person at The TKO Boxing Gym, Gillian House, Stephenson Street, Canning Town, London E16 4SA.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Gianluca (Rio) Di Caro.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA
    , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • 4 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • James Perkins & Anthony Andreozzi Headlines “Oceanside Prize Fights”
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • GORST PURSUES GOLDEN GLORY IN JEDDAH, DEFENDING WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA, 21–26 JULY
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN
    , Tue, 08 Jul 2025
  • UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA
    , Mon, 07 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.