I was the guy who interviewed Carl for Ringside Report in 2008, where he uttered the quote used at the close of this fine segment. Carl and I talked for hours, well beyond the posted interview. He literally thanked me for remembering him from his glory days. He was a genuine man with empathy and a warm spirit. I thank God that I had the opportunity to connect with him.
He was a decent fighter, but destined to be a journeyman. Though, I thought Holmes was gifted the win. Carl Williams did defeat him. The funny thing is, he got the gift against Carl Williams, but was robbed with Spinks.
@@tarstarkusz people forget that the ibf was a new federation when they put the title on holmes i think they wanted keep title on holmes as long as possible so they could establish their credibility
Another gem. Williams was one of those fighters who had all of the physical attributes you look for in a heavyweight; but lost focus and never really got back on track. I didn't know about him helping with the clean up after 9/11; and, honestly, it makes me wonder about his death from throat cancer. A lot of responders to that tragedy and those who helped in the clean-up came down with some serious illness afterwards. Makes me wonder if that was the indirect (or direct) cause. Anyway, thank you for another great look-back at a really good fighter.
There was a lot of asbestos dust in the air after 9/11, it probably did'nt help. When you breathe azzy dust in, most of it gets caught in your throat. I agree Williams was a fine fighter man!
that's my first thought, lots of people on ground zero died from some sort of cancer after helping there. People really paid with their lives to help strangers.
@@serenityinside1 I'd believe that. Lots of the heavyweights of the 80s and 90's have passed on, it always make me think how it doesn't seem that long ago.
Whatever went on beyond the Holmes fight…….. The Holmes fight showed how good a peak Carl Williams was RIP Carl “The Truth” Williams A real Gentleman by all accounts Great stuff as usual RTFH 🥊🥊💥💥🥊🥊
Not really, because that was the fight BEFORE Buster and Buster beat the hell out of Mike. People went from calling Mike prime and unbeatable, to making excuses one fight later. He was still in his prime when Buster schooled him.
Again, Rich, your videos are always a journey back to my childhood! Never forget watching “The Truth” display a masterclass in boxing against Larry Holmes. He was robbed and I’ve long believed that Micheal Spinks would never have won his decision against Holmes without Carl first exposing his weaknesses
This is one of the best if not the best channel for boxing history on RUclips...When I was a kid and I saw Mike Tyson Knockout these guys like him and Furguson I used to think they were bums...but now I know Mike was really grt because them guys was damn good
I always liked him. He did the best that he could. He went much further than most men. Respect. R.I.P. Carl ✝🥊🙏 Fighting the good fight of faith.; EVERYDAY!
@phelpsmarc and who was in the ring after the fight ? Don King... King and Larry always had a close relationship, he even convinced Larry to come out of retirement to fight tyson
Thanks Rich, I remember Carl as having a glass jaw, but I forgot how well he fought back and could have won more fights than he did like the Morrison match. Too bad he couldn't keep his right up and throw more combinations. RIP Mr. Williams.
Another splendid doc on a much forgotten, yet classic and awesome fighter. Well done, Rich! You are still the best on all of youtube. Keep the "hits" coming!
Carl was a great combination puncher with a great jab and was in some really good fights. Gave Holmes a great fight and fought some of the best of his era.i didn't know he'd passed away.RIP Mr Williams.....🙏🏼🩵
Carl "The Truth" Williams # Amateur record: 22 fights = 21-1. # PRO record: 41 fights = 30-10-0-1, KO's 21. # 2-time World Heavyweight Title Challanger: (1985 loss to Larry Holmes & 1989 loss to Mike Tyson). # USBA Heavyweight Champion: 1987-1991 (5-1-0, KO's 4) # Most career nororious wins: Trevor Berbick, Ossie Ocasio, James "Quick" Tillis, Bert Cooper & Jesse Ferguson. # Lost to 6 recognized world HW champions: Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Tim Witherspoon, Mike Weaver, Frank Bruno & Tommy Morrison.
Williams broke my heart one Saturday afternoon when he crushed my favorite fighter coming up..Smokin Bert Cooper. He was The Truth that day. Masterful.
It was a wild ride being a fan of the Truth. Lots of ups and downs. Seemed a little unlucky at the time to lose to Holmes, though looking back I can't really fault the decision. Seemed OK to continue against Tyson. And then the Weaver KO just as he seemed to be on the verge of winning. And after all that, to see him running shots on Morrison like that when he was past his best just further attested to his skill. Not a good chin and not the best ring IQ, but when that offense got on track, it poured out like fine wine.
Yeah, hard to argue against if they were to have given him the decision. I definitely thought it was way closer than the judges saw it. And he outJABBED Holmes, with that crazy 85 inch reach and height. And outjabbing Holmes ain't ez 2 do.
My favorite memory of the Truth was when he upset the Bert Cooper apple cart in 87 or 88. Big upset victory for Carl over a rising legitimate contender.
Fantastic content as usual Rich!.. "The truth" had the tools to go very far except he had a weak chin which as we all know will eventually find you out with the big heavyweights.
Thank you for posting. I learned a lot. What a physical specimen this guy was. And what toughness the guys from that era exhibited. Wow. He was so close to reaching the top , and had it all. Couple of bad breaks can change it all. Thank you
I remember watching some of his fight late 80s and early 90s. He was old school tough. Always got up and always tried to look unhurt like it was a personal insult that he got knocked down. Would have been good against these modern heavyweights
What a great man, and an excellent boxer. He was special, no doubt about that. It's a shame he was never a champion in the pro ranks. He came very very close to accomplishing that goal, and nobody can take that away from the man. He was one of the best contenders of his era. It's crazy to see such a big guy being able to move like he did. It must have been strange for Larry Holmes going up against Carl Williams. It probably made Larry feel like he was looking at the mirror image of his younger self.
Hey Rich👍this is the first notification I've had for this channel I didn't know you had one mate, I've seen your comments on other channels so I've subbed immediately and will watch when I get home later buddy,looking forward to this one,cheers✌️🥊
@RichtheFightHistorian watched as promised. It was a good documentary,really enjoyable, so I will have to start going through your playlist now I've subbed✌️🥊
I thought after the Holmes fight, Carl was the future with his size, jab, speed, etc. In the end it wasn’t to be as he lacked the ruggedness the great ones possess. I wasn’t aware of how things turned out for him. Like so many who make it into the spotlight, another depressing ending. Needless to say, it’s a tough way to make a living. Thanks for the insight Rich..another job well done.
I'd of been fully engrossed in this by now and I'm the dentists lol chipped my tooth I slipped smashed my face right next to an axe blade poking up with the sharp end that was close haha idiot
I enjoyed it Richie he was a ripped guy , just got back in the gym sparring and I just recently had a tooth fixed, my brother has broke it again lol ffs what don't you understand about sparring I had no mouthpiece in cross elbow across my jaw lol I had to split open some scar tissue were even.... For now lol 😘
Putting Williams in against Weaver after the Ferguson fight was like putting Bruno in against Smith after the Cummings fight. What the hell were his handlers thinking?
Rich still doing the Lords Work on these. So many of my favorite fighters who didn't always get those big belts or next-level and elite-level but were still great, fun and entertaining fighters. 'Truth Williams' easily one of my favorite HW contenders. The thing is, I did not know he passed away so young (relatively speaking) and then I was sad to hear his daughter passed away very very young. One thing that has bothered me over the years is how often he was made a Tyson 'highlight reel KO' and I didn't even like how early that was stopped either. Williams took Larry Holmes to a razor thin full distance and THAT, if anything, that should be the 'Image' the video clip, the thing he was remembered for. It's also another frustrating story of fighters who made significant wealth and then you're shocked to find the guy is broke broke.. like can't buy food broke. To a degree, give him some special thanks for guarding 911 site like that.
Carl is another fighter that Holmes should have rematched but didn't. Holmes was notorious for cherry picking his fights and not trying to unify all the heavyweight belts.
The newspaper story shown at 50:47 describes Williams as a "former heavyweight champion making a comeback." Like the author did no research at all, or thought "former heavyweight champion" just sounded better than "former top contender."
Carl "The Truth" Williams had the tools. Great height, and reach. Superior hand, and foot speed. Great jab. Very intelligent. Lots of charisma. But the only thing that really held him back....was his chin.
When Holmes fought the Truth , when they were in the certain of the ring it was like he was looking at a young version of himself and his jab was just as good and Larry's jab .may be the greatest jab ever but I bet Larry was thinking it's like I am fight a young version of myself
Carl Williams when he boxed and used his left jab was as good as most any Heavyweight. Carl, however just had some bad habits inside the ring. He would often dropped that right hand when he would throw combinations and he would be Straight up and there for the left hook counter. His defensive tactics got him in trouble. He rushed in against Weaver and got caught. Same with Morrison he had taken control of the fight and he didn’t use his jab enough. He allowed Morrison to get in close. His fight with Larry Holmes was his finest performance despite losing the decision. I don’t know how two judges had Holmes winning by 7 points ? That fight could have went either way. Carl was so close to being a really good fighter, just needed to hone his skills and keep opponents more at a distance. R.I.P. Carl Williams
Sorry to hear that “the Truth “ passed away in 2015. I didn’t know. Rich the fight Historian tells very engaging stories. Narrated and edited so well , but this is the fight game. Most of the stories never end well. A sad reality. Carl Williams was a talented fighter. He was Larry Holmes second biggest mistake after Tim Witherspoon. He trained in that lineage style of 1970’s Ali and then to Holmes, John Tate, to Tyrell Biggs and ultimately Riddick Bowe and Deontay Wilder. Williams was somewhere in the middle of that arc. But he arrived at a time when Mike Tyson was crushing the division with a style not seen since Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano. But he was doing it with unbelievably destructive hand speed and controlled aggression unlike Marciano and Frazier. Riddick Bowe would ascend once Tyson was off scene, but Williams was a contender during Tyson’s reign of terror. Tyson’s style, for the moment, made Carl Williams obsolete. Add to that “the Truth “ never had the best jaw. An unfortunate fact that hung over his career. Not sure Deontay Wilder does either. We just don’t have a Tyson at the moment to test the theory.
Hi rich got a requests. Im scottish and was wondering if you could cover more scottish fighters. A great start would be for willie limond who sadly past away the other day im sure his friend's family and fans would love a video in remembrance to him
I'll see if I have any Scottish fighters on the to do list. I wouldn't be able to do Limond justice though. The only fight I could show would be the Morales fight, the rest I would get dinged with a copyright.
Truth was a really hard luck fighter with incredible physical gifts . He lost a dodgy decision against Holmes and was the victim of a quick stoppage against Tyson . He had difficulties taking punches , I believe,because his massive, chiseled upper body sat on top of two comparatively skinny legs The Truth was top heavy.
@@RichtheFightHistorian not sure how much info is available, but it’s not even legal nowadays to fight with his frequency. Many fights were retroactively called no contests too
He was a guy who could have been great. Could have been the HW champion. If only he had a better chin or was better at protecting that chin. Wladimir Klitschko had a glass jaw, but Manny Stuart taught him how to protect it.
Rich, I do appreciate these bios very much, but I must point out that you used to include more personal information. Was he ever married? He had how many children? Was he divorced? It's not only about the boxing.
It depends...Williams had some domestic violence issues with a girlfriend which I touched on. There is very limited press on his other relationships/children so I left it alone.
He had tremendous skill but he was betrayed by his chin and his stamina. I believe had he been able to fight at a more energetic level against Holmes through the 15 rounds, he might have knocked Larry out. He was very much like Larry in style and technique in addition to being faster and bigger. But give the old man credit. He had more in the tank than his younger opponent when it counted.
one of the last of ali imitators who started to show up as Ali was phasing out of the sport. Good fighter, good skills just couldn't handle the left hook (Ali's enemy too). Had some real mystique and charisma too. So, his early manager thought the Holmes fight was too early, the gamble paid off even though he lost, most people thought he won and realized Holmes' reign was nearing the end.
Not sure if I'd put Truth in with the likes of Page/Tubbs as being an imitator of Ali's style. He threw power jabs and didn't dance around as much as those guys although he was pretty light on his feet.
@@RichtheFightHistorian just look at the way he talks at the holmes pre-fight. they were all good, Page was probably the best of the bunch but had discipline problems. Imitator might sound negative but I don't mean it that way, the main thing is, people confuse the style with the substance. That would go for an Elvis imitator or an Ali imitator, it's what's not so easily seen that is the most important.
Williams was a great talent but when Tillis put him down twice you knew he had glass in that jaw. Tillis was far from a hard hitter. If you want info on a fighter this is the channel you want to watch. Rich is great at researching everything about the boxers who are the subject of his videos. I hope Rivh does a video about former middleweight champion Hugo Corro.Corro's history is a real mystery to me.
Larry Holmes fought alot of upcoming guys before they where quite ready .Snipes ,Witherspoon ,Williams,Bey,?Berbik ,Cooney watched this fight live when it happened I really thought Williams was going to get the decision .Far to close a fight for me to judge ,but Williams did not hit hard alot of light ,touch the glove to face amature boxing from the truth .I think thats why he didnt get the decision.
It amasses me that in the US so easily the name and adres of a suspect is published in the papers. I've seen it here in videos before. It might have real consequences while the suspect may turn out completely innocent.
I I thought he did enough to take the belt from Holmes , and he could've been the next Larry Holmes , he was a young version but he didn't have it upstairs and he had all the tools but not the brain and he was his own worst enemy and I think he didn't train has hard as he could've if he had the mental game to train like a enemy he could've be the Buster Douglas
The TRUTH'S corner didn't once say your carrying your right low that's why your being hit with a left hook look at his right it's by his shoulder wow if his right was up he would win
I was the guy who interviewed Carl for Ringside Report in 2008, where he uttered the quote used at the close of this fine segment. Carl and I talked for hours, well beyond the posted interview. He literally thanked me for remembering him from his glory days. He was a genuine man with empathy and a warm spirit. I thank God that I had the opportunity to connect with him.
That was a great interview, Michael. Thanks for posting that.
you're very lucky sir. He seemed an intelligent thoughtful man. Came from a terrible start truly, yet the complete opposite of Tyson in behaviour etc.
He was a decent fighter, but destined to be a journeyman. Though, I thought Holmes was gifted the win. Carl Williams did defeat him. The funny thing is, he got the gift against Carl Williams, but was robbed with Spinks.
@@tarstarkusz people forget that the ibf was a new federation when they put the title on holmes i think they wanted keep title on holmes as long as possible so they could establish their credibility
The only documentary ever made on Carl the truth Williams. Always brilliant.
Thank you, Dawei
Another gem. Williams was one of those fighters who had all of the physical attributes you look for in a heavyweight; but lost focus and never really got back on track. I didn't know about him helping with the clean up after 9/11; and, honestly, it makes me wonder about his death from throat cancer. A lot of responders to that tragedy and those who helped in the clean-up came down with some serious illness afterwards. Makes me wonder if that was the indirect (or direct) cause. Anyway, thank you for another great look-back at a really good fighter.
There was a lot of asbestos dust in the air after 9/11, it probably did'nt help. When you breathe azzy dust in, most of it gets caught in your throat. I agree Williams was a fine fighter man!
that's my first thought, lots of people on ground zero died from some sort of cancer after helping there. People really paid with their lives to help strangers.
My pleasure, WolfmanJoe. I thought the same thing about his throat cancer.
I read in his obituary at the time this is given as the contributing factor to his death ie no doubt or whatever about it.
@@serenityinside1 I'd believe that. Lots of the heavyweights of the 80s and 90's have passed on, it always make me think how it doesn't seem that long ago.
What a talented boxer/athlete he was. thanks Rich for the memories.
Sure thing, Paul.
Whatever went on beyond the Holmes fight…….. The Holmes fight showed how good a peak Carl Williams was
RIP Carl “The Truth” Williams
A real Gentleman by all accounts
Great stuff as usual RTFH 🥊🥊💥💥🥊🥊
Thank you, CTO.
THE TRUTH IS HOLMES LOST
Wow... those scores against Holmes were INSANE!!!
Carl just couldn’t take a shot to well,i didn’t know that he had passed away. R.I.P Carl ‘The Truth’ Williams🙏🏿
He should've been champion at least once
If he's learned to keep his right hand up to block those left hooks which were his Achilles heel + downfall. well he probably would have been !
Good contender from the 80s, gave larry holmes one of his toughest fights. Rest in peace.
That is the first time I've ever heard a fighter say the the other guy won..wow
watch again - he misheard and thought he was asked if HE won. His answer still modest tho
Shows how good young Mike was
Not really, because that was the fight BEFORE Buster and Buster beat the hell out of Mike. People went from calling Mike prime and unbeatable, to making excuses one fight later. He was still in his prime when Buster schooled him.
Again, Rich, your videos are always a journey back to my childhood! Never forget watching “The Truth” display a masterclass in boxing against Larry Holmes. He was robbed and I’ve long believed that Micheal Spinks would never have won his decision against Holmes without Carl first exposing his weaknesses
Inspirational indeed. Thank you for the memories. RIP Champ
This is one of the best if not the best channel for boxing history on RUclips...When I was a kid and I saw Mike Tyson Knockout these guys like him and Furguson I used to think they were bums...but now I know Mike was really grt because them guys was damn good
Yeah I know what you mean,great fighters can make really good fighters look very ordinary sometimes 👍
Thanks, Shawn. Yes, the Truth had talent and Ferguson was very well-schooled.
The Truth..
I like that you shine light on these types of fighters, I bet he'd be honored if he was still alive
I always liked him. He did the best that he could. He went much further than most men. Respect.
R.I.P. Carl ✝🥊🙏
Fighting the good fight of faith.; EVERYDAY!
Another gem documentary. Whenever you can get around to it, can you do one on Michael Olajide? He seemed like an interesting fighter
Beautiful! What a quote to end this video with! Inspirational!
Larry got the Don King decision...Larry was Kings man... great video again rich.. you are the man 👏
Thanks, Alan.
Actually Larry had left Don King in 1983 when he abdicated the WBC title. He was given the IBF belt and defended it using various promoters
@phelpsmarc and who was in the ring after the fight ? Don King... King and Larry always had a close relationship, he even convinced Larry to come out of retirement to fight tyson
This channel is a delight Rich thanks for all your knowledge and hard work.
My pleasure, Kim.
Thanks Rich, I remember Carl as having a glass jaw, but I forgot how well he fought back and could have won more fights than he did like the Morrison match. Too bad he couldn't keep his right up and throw more combinations. RIP Mr. Williams.
Another gem ! I always thought Carl had all the tools to be a heavy weight Champ ! He definitely was sharp when he fought Holmes 🥊
Thanks, MPR.
Another great video
Thanks, Stoplight.
Another splendid doc on a much forgotten, yet classic and awesome fighter. Well done, Rich! You are still the best on all of youtube. Keep the "hits" coming!
Thanks so much, emokellen.
@@RichtheFightHistorian Dude! You're like the best!
Carl was a great combination puncher with a great jab and was in some really good fights.
Gave Holmes a great fight and fought some of the best of his era.i didn't know he'd passed away.RIP Mr Williams.....🙏🏼🩵
Carl "The Truth" Williams
# Amateur record: 22 fights = 21-1.
# PRO record: 41 fights = 30-10-0-1, KO's 21.
# 2-time World Heavyweight Title Challanger: (1985 loss to Larry Holmes & 1989 loss to Mike Tyson).
# USBA Heavyweight Champion: 1987-1991 (5-1-0, KO's 4)
# Most career nororious wins: Trevor Berbick, Ossie Ocasio, James "Quick" Tillis, Bert Cooper & Jesse Ferguson.
# Lost to 6 recognized world HW champions: Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Tim Witherspoon, Mike Weaver, Frank Bruno & Tommy Morrison.
Williams broke my heart one Saturday afternoon when he crushed my favorite fighter coming up..Smokin Bert Cooper. He was The Truth that day. Masterful.
Carl 'The Truth' Williams and Tommy 'The Duke' Morrison both died in the same year (2013). R.I.P. to both of them.
It was a wild ride being a fan of the Truth. Lots of ups and downs. Seemed a little unlucky at the time to lose to Holmes, though looking back I can't really fault the decision. Seemed OK to continue against Tyson. And then the Weaver KO just as he seemed to be on the verge of winning. And after all that, to see him running shots on Morrison like that when he was past his best just further attested to his skill. Not a good chin and not the best ring IQ, but when that offense got on track, it poured out like fine wine.
Thanks for the video Rich
Sure thing, John.
Thanks for the Fantastic Video. Williams had alot of heart and talent.
My pleasure, Rene.
Thank you so much for doing a documentary on Carl " The Truth " Williams
Sure thing, Gareth.
Man!! Carl had all the attributes to be one of the great’s! Why he didn’t attack more to the body puzzles me.
The Truth had a tremendous jab! I personally thought he beat Holmes
Yeah, hard to argue against if they were to have given him the decision. I definitely thought it was way closer than the judges saw it. And he outJABBED Holmes, with that crazy 85 inch reach and height. And outjabbing Holmes ain't ez 2 do.
My favorite memory of the Truth was when he upset the Bert Cooper apple cart in 87 or 88. Big upset victory for Carl over a rising legitimate contender.
Fantastic content as usual Rich!.. "The truth" had the tools to go very far except he had a weak chin which as we all know will eventually find you out with the big heavyweights.
Thanks, Steven. Agreed on The Truth.
It’s so funny to hear Keith Jackson and Marv Alberts doing boxing!!😂🤣
Small request: Can you make an ezzard charles video next?
He's on the docket but it'll be awhile.
@@RichtheFightHistorian Good enough.
Thank you for posting. I learned a lot. What a physical specimen this guy was. And what toughness the guys from that era exhibited. Wow. He was so close to reaching the top , and had it all. Couple of bad breaks can change it all. Thank you
My pleasure, John. Williams was a talent.
I thought Williams beat Holmes, and only one of the judges scorecards (143-142 for Holmes) made sense.
I think it was at least a clean draw.
Williams needed a trainer like Stewart to show him how to fight tall and shield a suspect chin like he did Lewis and Klitz brothers
I remember watching some of his fight late 80s and early 90s. He was old school tough. Always got up and always tried to look unhurt like it was a personal insult that he got knocked down. Would have been good against these modern heavyweights
thanks for your hard work rich, i appreciate this stuff very much.
What a great man, and an excellent boxer. He was special, no doubt about that. It's a shame he was never a champion in the pro ranks. He came very very close to accomplishing that goal, and nobody can take that away from the man. He was one of the best contenders of his era. It's crazy to see such a big guy being able to move like he did. It must have been strange for Larry Holmes going up against Carl Williams. It probably made Larry feel like he was looking at the mirror image of his younger self.
Wow I didn’t know he had passed away at such a young age, RIP
Man... dude was a MAGNET for a left hook!
As always, quality stuff!
Thank you, Everett.
Hell of a fighter! Love your channel!
Thanks, DG.
Hey Rich👍this is the first notification I've had for this channel I didn't know you had one mate, I've seen your comments on other channels so I've subbed immediately and will watch when I get home later buddy,looking forward to this one,cheers✌️🥊
Thank you, Martin, hope you enjoy.
@RichtheFightHistorian watched as promised. It was a good documentary,really enjoyable, so I will have to start going through your playlist now I've subbed✌️🥊
I thought after the Holmes fight, Carl was the future with his size, jab, speed, etc. In the end it wasn’t to be as he lacked the ruggedness the great ones possess. I wasn’t aware of how things turned out for him. Like so many who make it into the spotlight, another depressing ending. Needless to say, it’s a tough way to make a living. Thanks for the insight Rich..another job well done.
Thank you, uncjim.
Tommy's "one dimension" is the ONE punch this dude TRUTHFULLY gets hit with!
Great documentary but so many of these awesome boxer's live's end so tragically.
Thanks, Jason.
Saving this for after work nice one Richie 👍
I'd of been fully engrossed in this by now and I'm the dentists lol chipped my tooth I slipped smashed my face right next to an axe blade poking up with the sharp end that was close haha idiot
Thanks, bookah, a bit of a long one but some good clips included.
Just had a tooth fixed and my brother has broke it again lol I'm not going easy on you tomorrow fuka your dead
I enjoyed it Richie he was a ripped guy , just got back in the gym sparring and I just recently had a tooth fixed, my brother has broke it again lol ffs what don't you understand about sparring I had no mouthpiece in cross elbow across my jaw lol I had to split open some scar tissue were even.... For now lol 😘
@@bookah8787 Sounds like you guys are doing some Philly Gym style sparring :)
Putting Williams in against Weaver after the Ferguson fight was like putting Bruno in against Smith after the Cummings fight. What the hell were his handlers thinking?
For the al gore rhythm
A Zebra does not change its spots
Whack on. Whack off.
A men
Lol
Great fighter..
Great documentary as always champ rich the world's undisputed documentary champion
Thanks so much, Petie.
@@RichtheFightHistorian 💯🥊💯🥊
Rich still doing the Lords Work on these. So many of my favorite fighters who didn't always get those big belts or next-level and elite-level but were still great, fun and entertaining fighters.
'Truth Williams' easily one of my favorite HW contenders. The thing is, I did not know he passed away so young (relatively speaking) and then I was sad to hear his daughter passed away very very young.
One thing that has bothered me over the years is how often he was made a Tyson 'highlight reel KO' and I didn't even like how early that was stopped either. Williams took Larry Holmes to a razor thin full distance and THAT, if anything, that should be the 'Image' the video clip, the thing he was remembered for.
It's also another frustrating story of fighters who made significant wealth and then you're shocked to find the guy is broke broke.. like can't buy food broke. To a degree, give him some special thanks for guarding 911 site like that.
Thanks, Jonathan.
Thanks!
Oh, wow. Thanks so much, Christopher.
And people ( who dont know boxing) say that Tyson fought 'nobodies '
Thanks! Williams had a trouble with the lead hooks. He never fixed that.
My pleasure, Chris.
Carl is another fighter that Holmes should have rematched but didn't. Holmes was notorious for cherry picking his fights and not trying to unify all the heavyweight belts.
The newspaper story shown at 50:47 describes Williams as a "former heavyweight champion making a comeback." Like the author did no research at all, or thought "former heavyweight champion" just sounded better than "former top contender."
RIP
Carl the Truth Williams
A very talented boxer ….
Carl "The Truth" Williams had the tools. Great height, and reach. Superior hand, and foot speed. Great jab. Very intelligent. Lots of charisma. But the only thing that really held him back....was his chin.
When Holmes fought the Truth , when they were in the certain of the ring it was like he was looking at a young version of himself and his jab was just as good and Larry's jab .may be the greatest jab ever but I bet Larry was thinking it's like I am fight a young version of myself
Carl Williams when he boxed and used his left jab was as good as most any Heavyweight. Carl, however just had some bad habits inside the ring. He would often dropped that right hand when he would throw combinations and he would be Straight up and there for the left hook counter. His defensive tactics got him in trouble. He rushed in against Weaver and got caught. Same with Morrison he had taken control of the fight and he didn’t use his jab enough. He allowed Morrison to get in close. His fight with Larry Holmes was his finest performance despite losing the decision. I don’t know how two judges had Holmes winning by 7 points ? That fight could have went either way. Carl was so close to being a really good fighter, just needed to hone his skills and keep opponents more at a distance. R.I.P. Carl Williams
Can you please do a documentary on Rocky graziano ❤
Yes, he is on my to do list, just don't know when I'll get to him just yet.
Like alot of Heavyweights from this era, Williams was unfortunately short sighted when he discarded his handlers for a too soon shot at the title.
He got knocked tfo by Tyson and that’s the truth!
Dropping that right hand was a terrible flaw that probably cost The Truth a lot
Great job Rich
Thank you, Paul.
to this day i still wonder what fight the judges were watching....CARL WON THIS FIGHT HANDS DOWN...I STILL RESPECT HOLMES
Sorry to hear that “the Truth “ passed away in 2015. I didn’t know. Rich the fight Historian tells very engaging stories. Narrated and edited so well , but this is the fight game. Most of the stories never end well. A sad reality. Carl Williams was a talented fighter. He was Larry Holmes second biggest mistake after Tim Witherspoon. He trained in that lineage style of 1970’s Ali and then to Holmes, John Tate, to Tyrell Biggs and ultimately Riddick Bowe and Deontay Wilder. Williams was somewhere in the middle of that arc. But he arrived at a time when Mike Tyson was crushing the division with a style not seen since Joe Frazier and Rocky Marciano. But he was doing it with unbelievably destructive hand speed and controlled aggression unlike Marciano and Frazier. Riddick Bowe would ascend once Tyson was off scene, but Williams was a contender during Tyson’s reign of terror. Tyson’s style, for the moment, made Carl Williams obsolete. Add to that “the Truth “ never had the best jaw. An unfortunate fact that hung over his career. Not sure Deontay Wilder does either. We just don’t have a Tyson at the moment to test the theory.
Thanks, Pilates68.
Hi rich got a requests. Im scottish and was wondering if you could cover more scottish fighters. A great start would be for willie limond who sadly past away the other day im sure his friend's family and fans would love a video in remembrance to him
I'll see if I have any Scottish fighters on the to do list. I wouldn't be able to do Limond justice though. The only fight I could show would be the Morales fight, the rest I would get dinged with a copyright.
Could you do a documentary on Ezzard Charles, i’d love to see that.
He's on the to do list, yes.
Great.
Truth was a really hard luck fighter with incredible physical gifts . He lost a dodgy decision against Holmes and was the victim of a quick stoppage against Tyson . He had difficulties taking punches , I believe,because his massive, chiseled upper body sat on top of two comparatively skinny legs The Truth was top heavy.
he said he gave mike tyson a hiding in sparring...
Two great referees in this video, Larry Hazzard, boy could he dance, and Mills Lane.
Have you done a documentary on Buck Smith? Would be very interesting… guy fought like twice a week for years
I remember him but will have to look more into his back story.
@@RichtheFightHistorian not sure how much info is available, but it’s not even legal nowadays to fight with his frequency. Many fights were retroactively called no contests too
Larry Holmes 2.0 he could’ve been unbelievable
Man... EVERYONE wanted to be Ali in promos!
He was a guy who could have been great. Could have been the HW champion. If only he had a better chin or was better at protecting that chin. Wladimir Klitschko had a glass jaw, but Manny Stuart taught him how to protect it.
Rich, I do appreciate these bios very much, but I must point out that you used to include more personal information. Was he ever married? He had how many children? Was he divorced? It's not only about the boxing.
It depends...Williams had some domestic violence issues with a girlfriend which I touched on. There is very limited press on his other relationships/children so I left it alone.
@@RichtheFightHistorian Well, you can only work with what you've got.
He had tremendous skill but he was betrayed by his chin and his stamina. I believe had he been able to fight at a more energetic level against Holmes through the 15 rounds, he might have knocked Larry out. He was very much like Larry in style and technique in addition to being faster and bigger. But give the old man credit. He had more in the tank than his younger opponent when it counted.
Agreed. Holmes had tremendous heart. I thought he overtook Williams on willpower.
He deserved the championship when he fought Holmes
I thought Carl clearly won the fight against Holmes.
I like the Truth but he really seemed vulnerable to the left hook.
👍👍
one of the last of ali imitators who started to show up as Ali was phasing out of the sport. Good fighter, good skills just couldn't handle the left hook (Ali's enemy too). Had some real mystique and charisma too. So, his early manager thought the Holmes fight was too early, the gamble paid off even though he lost, most people thought he won and realized Holmes' reign was nearing the end.
Not sure if I'd put Truth in with the likes of Page/Tubbs as being an imitator of Ali's style. He threw power jabs and didn't dance around as much as those guys although he was pretty light on his feet.
@@RichtheFightHistorian just look at the way he talks at the holmes pre-fight. they were all good, Page was probably the best of the bunch but had discipline problems. Imitator might sound negative but I don't mean it that way, the main thing is, people confuse the style with the substance. That would go for an Elvis imitator or an Ali imitator, it's what's not so easily seen that is the most important.
@@mozfonky Gotcha.
Holmes was da truth
Mike weaver destroyed two boxers potential destiny, Carl and big John tate and both with a devastating left hook.
Williams was a great talent but when Tillis put him down twice you knew he had glass in that jaw. Tillis was far from a hard hitter. If you want info on a fighter this is the channel you want to watch. Rich is great at researching everything about the boxers who are the subject of his videos. I hope Rivh does a video about former middleweight champion Hugo Corro.Corro's history is a real mystery to me.
Thank you, ZippyDoo. I'll have to look more into Corro.
33:44 Weaver is hurt
33:47 Then this happens
Larry Holmes fought alot of upcoming guys before they where quite ready .Snipes ,Witherspoon ,Williams,Bey,?Berbik ,Cooney watched this fight live when it happened I really thought Williams was going to get the decision .Far to close a fight for me to judge ,but Williams did not hit hard alot of light ,touch the glove to face amature boxing from the truth .I think thats why he didnt get the decision.
It amasses me that in the US so easily the name and adres of a suspect is published in the papers. I've seen it here in videos before. It might have real consequences while the suspect may turn out completely innocent.
The newspapers here stopped that practice now. I don't know exactly when but they don't do that anymore.
I thought he beat Larry Holmes. It was close, but Carl won.
Great jab but Carl never had head movement, that’s why he would get caught and dropped
i was thinking that ! He stood very upright and indeed his head moved comparatively little thus inviting disaster.
I
I thought he did enough to take the belt from Holmes , and he could've been the next Larry Holmes , he was a young version but he didn't have it upstairs and he had all the tools but not the brain and he was his own worst enemy and I think he didn't train has hard as he could've if he had the mental game to train like a enemy he could've be the Buster Douglas
The TRUTH'S corner didn't once say your carrying your right low that's why your being hit with a left hook look at his right it's by his shoulder wow if his right was up he would win