Doveed Linder: In this interview, former prospect Dannie Williams (22-3, 18 KOs) talks about his background in boxing, and his upcoming return to the sport, scheduled for April 6th in his hometown of St. Louis... Dannie, we haven’t seen you in the ring since you faced John Molina, Jr. in January 2013, a bout you lost via fourth-round knockout.  What has been going on with you since that time and what is happening with you now? Dannie Williams: In that fight, it was just something that happened that I thought would never happen. But I guess it had to happen, because I wasn’t taking boxing seriously. After that, I went to jail for like six years and now I got my mind right and I’m ready to take over the boxing world.  The boxing world hasn’t seen the best of me.  They’ve seen good qualities in me, and they’ve seen the worst of me, but they haven’t seen the best yet.

 

DL: You’ve been boxing a long time.   When did you first put on the gloves?  How old were you and what were the circumstances?

 

DW: I actually started boxing at thirteen years old.  I went into a gym.  They were closing the gym and I was hooping and playing basketball. They said you have to leave unless you’re boxing. So, I lied and said I was a boxer, and I went upstairs and that’s how it started. This was Cherokee Recreation on the south side.  Then I eventually branched out and trained with Kevin Cunningham.  He was my amateur coach for years.  I turned pro with him too.  My first three fights were with Kevin. I signed with Don King and J. Prince, but then I ended up going to jail.

 

DL: You came up at a time when boxing was pretty hot in St. Louis with fighters like Cory Spinks and Devon Alexander on the rise.

 

DW: Yeah, it was a good opportunity to be around certain guys. I still didn’t take boxing a hundred percent [seriously]. I was supposed to be in the same position as those guys.  But it was a chance to see different things and new things that I probably never would have been able to see.

 

DL: You have a fight coming up at the Casa Loma Ballroom here in  St. Louis on April 6th.  What can you tell me about this upcoming bout and what do you hope it leads to?

  

DW: April 6, I fight a guy by the name of Ronald Rivas.  His record is 5-9-2, but he’s a tough fighter. He’s only been stopped about twice.  He always comes to fight, so that’s what I need to get back.  He just fought in January and I haven’t fought in six plus years, so I’m just excited to get back in there. I’ve been training my butt off.  I’ve been sparring like eight to ten rounds for a six-round fight. I’m just trying to get the ring rust off and put on a show for St. Louis .

 

DL: Is there anything you would like to say in closing?

 

DW: Stay on the look out for me.  I fight again in May and in June.  After about four tune-ups, I’ll be ready to get back in the mix and fight whoever.  For my fight in April, I’ll be at like 137, but I’m going to campaign at lightweight.  I’ve got unfinished business there.  I got to conquer the weight I started at – 135.   And then I’ll move up.  I’m putting 110% into what I got to do. Before, I was putting 110% into BS.  Now I’m putting 110% into something I love to do.  No excuses.  I’m gonna be on top.

 

NOTE: Doveed Linder is the author of RINGSIDE: INTERVIEWS WITH 24 FIGHTERS AND BOXING INSIDERS, a trilogy of books, each consisting of 24 in depth interviews with various fighters, trainers, corner men, promoters, commentators, and officials, including “Sugar” Ray Leonard, Roy Jones, Jr., Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Kathy Duva, Angelo Dundee, Bob Arum, Emanuel Steward, Larry Merchant, Lou DiBella, Ann Wolfe, Joe Souza, J Russell Peltz, Gerry Cooney, Leon Spinks, Al Bernstein, Naazim Richardson, George Chuvalo, Steve Smoger, Winky Wright, Ronnie Shields, Dwight Muhammad Qawi, Duane Ford, and Jackie Kallen.  The foreword for the first RINGSIDE book was written by Boxingtalk publisher Greg Leon, and is available on Amazon.com.