Ricardo Williams looking for a brief comeback
John Erardi, jerardi@enquirer.com 9:07 a.m. EDT October 9, 2014
Brandon Bennett, the headliner for Friday night's first-ever boxing card at Bank of Kentucky Center, remembers the days at Millvale Community Center when he would try to hit Ricardo Williams, who was climbing the ladder toward Olympic silver medalist at 139 pounds.
''He'd have his hands down by his side, no headgear, and I couldn't lay a glove on him -- none of us kids could,'' Bennett remembers. ''Now I do the same thing up at the Hub (the state-of-the-art boxing center in Over-the-Rhine), and none of the kids can lay a glove on me.''
It's a rite of passage in the gym, likely as old as the sweet science itself.
Bennett and Williams -- yes, the 33-year-old is making a brief comeback, in hopes of a nice payday or two down the road and then likely retirement -- are on the same card being co-promoted by R&R Productions and boxing star Adrien Broner, who helped bankroll it and enticed Williams away from his home in Houston.
This is Broner's maiden voyage in co-staging a card.
''Adrien understands the history of boxing in Cincinnati,'' said Andrew Williams, head of R&R Productions. ''He told me, 'I want Ric on this card.' And so, he's on the card. This card's an extension of the card at U.S. Bank Arena last month. We couldn't get all our Cincinnati guys on that card.''
Tickets for Friday's 12-bout show are $15, and available at Ticketmaster or at the door.
Within a year, Andrew Williams predicted, main event'er Bennett will be fighting for a world title.
Having Ricardo Williams as the co-main event on the card marks a redemption in a sense. He hasn't boxed here in five years. He looks good and still has the affability and charisma.
''He's still him,'' is the way Bennett puts it. They've been sparring recently, and Bennett said Ricardo still has fast hands, slick footwork and remarkable defense.
''Once you got that style, you don't lose it,'' Bennett said. ''You got to keep it honed, though, keep it in condition.''
A paragraph in the New York Times in 2009 well-summarized Ricardo Williams' rise and fall.
Nearly nine years ago, he returned home from the 2000 Sydney Games with a silver medal at 139 pounds and received a $1.4 million bonus from the promoter Lou DiBella to turn professional. But beset by weight problems and a questionable work ethic, he endured a surprising defeat on national television in his 10th pro fight, and his life spiraled out of control. He lost again and ran into trouble beyond the ring. He was convicted of a drug-trafficking charge and received a three-year prison term, of which he served 31 months.
These days, Ricardo Williams works as a sparring partner, including for Canelo Alvarez and Robert Guerrero and others, especially when they're preparing for a prizefight against a left-hander.
''Ric still gets some fights, but not like he used to,'' said renowned Cincinnati boxing coach Mike Stafford. ''The ranks are full of kids coming up. He had his shot. We're getting him back into it, maybe get him a big fight or two, and then maybe that'll be it, and he'll ride off into the sunset.''
At the time Williams came up to me at Buddy LaRosa's gym in Over-the-Rhine last month - where Broner was holding court for his big fight card at U.S. Bank Arena - I hadn't seen Ric in 10 years. I'd had a good relationship with him 14 years ago when he was climbing the amateur ranks toward the Olympics, and I did a number of stories on him and his dad, Ricardo Sr.
So, what did Ric Jr. say to me last month?
"Excuse me sir, what's your name? Didn't you used to be John Erardi?"
We laughed and embraced.
Ricky's still got his marbles, if not his money.
''I wouldn't call it a sad story; I'd call it a diminishing story,'' Stafford said. ''Knowing he had that kind of skill. At one time, he was more talked about than Floyd Mayweather. Ric was the face of boxing, of HBO.
''Boxing wanted him to be that new face. With Adrien (Broner), everything centered around Mayweather. But with Ricardo, everything centered around him. When you start your pro career with a four-rounder on HBO, you know you're it. He had a lot on his plate. As a person, though, I will always love him.''
These Cincinnati fight cards are family affairs and lovefests. Last month, Broner and Rau'shee Warren fought on the same card on Showtime TV at U.S. Bank Arena, and both won. Friday, it's Bennett and Williams; Broner will attend.
''Next time around, I'm hoping it's me, Ric, Adrien, Rau'shee and (Robert Easter),'' said Bennett, who grew up in English Woods and graduated from West High. ''That's a dream card, locally. But Cincinnati has a national reputation as a fight town. You hear it out there. 'You Cincinnatians are good fighters, but most of you wind up going in the wrong direction.' I want to avoid that wrong direction, which is why I got my older brother, Marvin, whispering in my ear.''
Some of the other Cincinnati fighters on Friday's card were at Wednesday's press conference at Bank of Kentucky Center. They are co-main event'er William ''Action'' Jackson, Aaron Hollis, Javon Garnett and Devonte Allen; among the Cincinnatians on the card who couldn't make the presser were former University of Cincinnati football player Danny Calhoun, who is one of the up-and-comers in the heavyweight ranks.
It figures to be quite a show Friday night, primarily because the Cincinnati fighters have been training for months now, and secondly because it will be -- at least in part -- a fresh audience in a beautiful venue.
''I'm working on the powers-that-be in television to get a look at this place (Bank of Kentucky Center on the campus of Northern Kentucky University),'' Andrew Williams said. ''We'd love to put on a (television) card here.''
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/spo...ricardo-williams-hopes-for-comeback/16949895/
That's actually a decent card for them
That card with Ricardo Williams, Adrien Broner, Rau'shee Warren, Robert Easter would be real nice
I need an "All-Ohio Card" feat. Adrien Broner, Shawn Porter, Mickey Bey, Robert Easter, Kelly Pavlik, Willie Nelson, Rau'shee Warren, Ricardo Williams, Mark Davis, and Terrell Gausha though
John Erardi, jerardi@enquirer.com 9:07 a.m. EDT October 9, 2014
Brandon Bennett, the headliner for Friday night's first-ever boxing card at Bank of Kentucky Center, remembers the days at Millvale Community Center when he would try to hit Ricardo Williams, who was climbing the ladder toward Olympic silver medalist at 139 pounds.
''He'd have his hands down by his side, no headgear, and I couldn't lay a glove on him -- none of us kids could,'' Bennett remembers. ''Now I do the same thing up at the Hub (the state-of-the-art boxing center in Over-the-Rhine), and none of the kids can lay a glove on me.''
It's a rite of passage in the gym, likely as old as the sweet science itself.
Bennett and Williams -- yes, the 33-year-old is making a brief comeback, in hopes of a nice payday or two down the road and then likely retirement -- are on the same card being co-promoted by R&R Productions and boxing star Adrien Broner, who helped bankroll it and enticed Williams away from his home in Houston.
This is Broner's maiden voyage in co-staging a card.
''Adrien understands the history of boxing in Cincinnati,'' said Andrew Williams, head of R&R Productions. ''He told me, 'I want Ric on this card.' And so, he's on the card. This card's an extension of the card at U.S. Bank Arena last month. We couldn't get all our Cincinnati guys on that card.''
Tickets for Friday's 12-bout show are $15, and available at Ticketmaster or at the door.
Within a year, Andrew Williams predicted, main event'er Bennett will be fighting for a world title.
Having Ricardo Williams as the co-main event on the card marks a redemption in a sense. He hasn't boxed here in five years. He looks good and still has the affability and charisma.
''He's still him,'' is the way Bennett puts it. They've been sparring recently, and Bennett said Ricardo still has fast hands, slick footwork and remarkable defense.
''Once you got that style, you don't lose it,'' Bennett said. ''You got to keep it honed, though, keep it in condition.''
A paragraph in the New York Times in 2009 well-summarized Ricardo Williams' rise and fall.
Nearly nine years ago, he returned home from the 2000 Sydney Games with a silver medal at 139 pounds and received a $1.4 million bonus from the promoter Lou DiBella to turn professional. But beset by weight problems and a questionable work ethic, he endured a surprising defeat on national television in his 10th pro fight, and his life spiraled out of control. He lost again and ran into trouble beyond the ring. He was convicted of a drug-trafficking charge and received a three-year prison term, of which he served 31 months.
These days, Ricardo Williams works as a sparring partner, including for Canelo Alvarez and Robert Guerrero and others, especially when they're preparing for a prizefight against a left-hander.
''Ric still gets some fights, but not like he used to,'' said renowned Cincinnati boxing coach Mike Stafford. ''The ranks are full of kids coming up. He had his shot. We're getting him back into it, maybe get him a big fight or two, and then maybe that'll be it, and he'll ride off into the sunset.''
At the time Williams came up to me at Buddy LaRosa's gym in Over-the-Rhine last month - where Broner was holding court for his big fight card at U.S. Bank Arena - I hadn't seen Ric in 10 years. I'd had a good relationship with him 14 years ago when he was climbing the amateur ranks toward the Olympics, and I did a number of stories on him and his dad, Ricardo Sr.
So, what did Ric Jr. say to me last month?
"Excuse me sir, what's your name? Didn't you used to be John Erardi?"
We laughed and embraced.
Ricky's still got his marbles, if not his money.
''I wouldn't call it a sad story; I'd call it a diminishing story,'' Stafford said. ''Knowing he had that kind of skill. At one time, he was more talked about than Floyd Mayweather. Ric was the face of boxing, of HBO.
''Boxing wanted him to be that new face. With Adrien (Broner), everything centered around Mayweather. But with Ricardo, everything centered around him. When you start your pro career with a four-rounder on HBO, you know you're it. He had a lot on his plate. As a person, though, I will always love him.''
These Cincinnati fight cards are family affairs and lovefests. Last month, Broner and Rau'shee Warren fought on the same card on Showtime TV at U.S. Bank Arena, and both won. Friday, it's Bennett and Williams; Broner will attend.
''Next time around, I'm hoping it's me, Ric, Adrien, Rau'shee and (Robert Easter),'' said Bennett, who grew up in English Woods and graduated from West High. ''That's a dream card, locally. But Cincinnati has a national reputation as a fight town. You hear it out there. 'You Cincinnatians are good fighters, but most of you wind up going in the wrong direction.' I want to avoid that wrong direction, which is why I got my older brother, Marvin, whispering in my ear.''
Some of the other Cincinnati fighters on Friday's card were at Wednesday's press conference at Bank of Kentucky Center. They are co-main event'er William ''Action'' Jackson, Aaron Hollis, Javon Garnett and Devonte Allen; among the Cincinnatians on the card who couldn't make the presser were former University of Cincinnati football player Danny Calhoun, who is one of the up-and-comers in the heavyweight ranks.
It figures to be quite a show Friday night, primarily because the Cincinnati fighters have been training for months now, and secondly because it will be -- at least in part -- a fresh audience in a beautiful venue.
''I'm working on the powers-that-be in television to get a look at this place (Bank of Kentucky Center on the campus of Northern Kentucky University),'' Andrew Williams said. ''We'd love to put on a (television) card here.''
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/spo...ricardo-williams-hopes-for-comeback/16949895/
That's actually a decent card for them
That card with Ricardo Williams, Adrien Broner, Rau'shee Warren, Robert Easter would be real nice
I need an "All-Ohio Card" feat. Adrien Broner, Shawn Porter, Mickey Bey, Robert Easter, Kelly Pavlik, Willie Nelson, Rau'shee Warren, Ricardo Williams, Mark Davis, and Terrell Gausha though
