Ringside Report Looks Back at Former IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Prince Charles Williams

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

A six year reign as world champion and there is precious little out there to explain how he managed to get to the top of his tree could be argued as a bit of a disgrace or just the fact that his career epitomizes the phrase, hidden gem.

Turning professional on the 28th June 1978, in Washington, “Prince” Charles Williams, 37-7-3, 28 KO’s, is one boxer who managed an extraordinary feat which now, would be seen as an indication that he was perhaps, not quite the future world champion he became – he lost his first pro fight!

It was against a former Olympian in the shape of Henry Bunch, so it could be argued that it was understandable, but the fact is that there are few out there who would, in the modern era see that as an excuse!

His second fight? A draw… eight months later in Richfield against another debutant, Michael Hardin.

Eight years later and he was anointed as the world champion! What a journey!

As the IBF light heavyweight champion, he was sitting upon that throne from 1987 until Henry Maske in 1993 dethroned him. In between there were no fewer than eight successful defenses. He was not to regain that title though he did move down a weight and unsuccessfully fought for the super middleweight title in 1984, though that was against James Toney, so once again we should not be totally surprised at the result!

Having come through the stuttering start he did, he was to find himself in 1981, 29th October to be precise in the opposite corner to Jeff Lampkin fighting for his first belt – the Ohio State Light Heavyweight title. Lampkin stopped him in the 6th round! Lampkin went on to become the IBF cruiserweight champion.

In 1983, he beat a Witherspoon, though not Tim, but his brother Anthony… a year on and in 1984 he faced a former WBC and WBA light heavyweight champion in Marvin Johnson in Indianapolis. Then came the chance. In 1987, in Las Vegas he took the IBF crown from the head of one Bobby Czyz as Czyz retired after 9 of 15 rounds with his right eye firmly closed. Williams was a world title holder!

He then went on tour in 1988! 3 fights in France – 18th April 1988 and Jimmy Shavers knocked out in the 5th, first defense of his title on the 10th June 1988 against Richard Caramanolis, won by stoppage in the 11th, then a second defense against Rufino Angulo with a 3rd round knockout.

Defenses came mainly on home turf from there as he returned to give Bobby Czyz a rematch on the 25th June 1989 in Atlantic City where, having stopped him by closing his right eye the first time, stopped him in the 10th through the damage to his left. On the 7th of January 1990, he made Frankie Swindell retire on his stool after the 8th in Atlantic City, on the 12th January he got a points win over Mwehu Beya in Saint Vincent, then on the 20th April in Atlantic City, beat James Kinchen by 2nd round stoppage after putting him down in the 1st, then on the 20th July, 1991 beta Vincent Boulware by 3rd round knockout in San Remo, before he beat Freddie Delgado – 19th October 1991, by 2nd round stoppage in Williamson.

The risks of his earlier career were paying off as he was showing himself to be a very durable champion but then he went over to Germany to face a Gold Medal Olympian. Looking back at his very first fight, perhaps this was an omen. Henry Maske was to take his title in Dusseldorf on the 20th of March 1993. In an interview some time later, Maske was to comment, “Charles presented himself in the ring as the heavy opponent. He was at the time the dreaded light heavyweight boxer. With his entire appearance inside and out of the ring, he earned a great respect from the opponents and the audience. In the fight we both had to go our limit. After the last gong he confessed his defeat. He proved greatness with his gesture. I saw Prince Charles for the first time during a fight in London. We were both spectators. From the first moment I knew this was a great one.”

Williams was to continue his career beyond this loss and managed to rediscover that winning feeling. He switched to the WBC and took their America’s title in 1994 when he stopped Ernest Mateen in the 10th round in Robinsonville. He was impressive enough that he decided to drop to super middleweight and take on “Lights Out”. James Toney met him on the 29th of July 1994 in the centre of the ring for the IBF super middleweight world championship and over 12 rounds they traded in a contest that was simply not one sided. The judges all scored it in Toney’s favor, but Williams had clearly done enough to feel he could continue.

1995 saw a draw with Merqui Sosa in Atlantic City for the NABF light heavy title. Stopped in the 7th as Williams was cut over the left eye whilst Sosa’s right was nearly closed, the rematch in June of the same year saw Williams knocked out in the 10th round and Sosa taking the belt.

He fought once again in 1996 and it was his last fight – knocking out Chris Vernon in Nice, France. He retired with a decent career, plenty of ups and less so of downs but a stellar former world champion we can all applaud for being a guy who took his craft seriously who simply would not give in to early bumps in his career.

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