Saturday night at the EagleBank Arena on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, Julian ?J-Rock? Williams 27-1-1, 16 KOs), the underdog from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, upset Jarrett Hurd (23-1, 16 KOs), the reigning and defending IBF, WBA, and IBO super welterweight champion from Accokeek, Maryland.
The decision was unanimous after 12 action-packed rounds. The final scores were 116-111 and 115-112 twice, all in favor of Williams.
Fighting out of the red corner in white trunks, Williams entered the ring with the deck stacked against him. Hurd was unbeaten. He was three inches taller than the challenger. He had a four-inch reach advantage. He was younger by a year. He was being groomed for stardom. And Williams was fighting in Hurd?s backyard.
Hurd, fighting out of the blue corner in burgundy trunks, has a fan-friendly style which has won him many adherents since he joined the pro ranks in 2012. And while everyone expect a tough title challenge from the scrappy Philly fighter, few considered him an elite opponent, especially after he was knocked out by Jermall Charlo in 2016, and even fewer thought he?d dethrone Hurd.
Williams got to work early. His superior athleticism and defensive mastery caused Hurd to swing and miss repeatedly. He was already in trouble by the second round, when J-Rock put the champ on the canvas for the first time. He was up at three and got back to work but it looked like it was going to be a long night.
The fighters traded rounds and punches as the fight progressed. But it was in-close when Hurd?s advantages evaporated. Inside fighting might be a lost art, but it isn?t lost on Julian Williams. It was on the inside where he took over. It was on the inside where did the most damage. It was on the inside where he won the fight.
Whenever Hurd rallied, Williams rallied back. Whenever he hurt J-Rock, J-Rock hurt him worse.
?I am just overwhelmed,? said Williams after the bout. ?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. They told me I was done, told me I had no chin. I took it like a man and the whole world doubted me. I went into this fight a five to one underdog.
?Jarrett?s such a great fighter and he pushed me. The boxing world, they make it seem like fighters take a loss and can?t come back. I just knew that wasn?t the case. Boxing world, stop condemning fighters when they take a loss. Keep supporting Jarrett, because Jarrett is a great fighter.?
Hurd may have fought the wrong fight, but it was one helluva fight, and to his credit he?s not a sore loser.
?J-Rock was the better man tonight,? he said. ?He put me down for the first time in my career and he came out with the victory. It was just a flash knockdown. It caught me by surprise. I wasn?t really hurt. I suffered two cuts, but I was able to finish the fight. J-Rock was just the better man tonight. I?ll be back, baby. You know I?ll be back.?
