![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Jackie-Kallen-Mykquan-Williams-and-Paul-Cichon-Photo-Credit-Emily-Harney-Team-Williams-225x300.jpg\")
<\/a>Photo by Emily Harney<\/strong><\/p>\nDespite their 40 years age difference, undefeated, 21-year-old \u201cMarvelous\u201d Mykquan Williams and his head trainer, Paul Cichon, enjoy a special relationship that started 14 years ago. Their unique journey could very well result in a storybook ending with a world title belt put around Williams\u2019 waist and Cichon smiling by his side.<\/p>\n
The humble, unassuming Williams and Cichon, a heavily tattooed trainer who looks more like a biker than boxing trainer, form boxing\u2019s odd couple.<\/p>\n
Williams has not only survived the life-altering murder of his father, when Mykquan was only eight days old, and the family house burned to the ground when he was 10. Instead of being just another victim of the streets in East Hartford, either a gangbanger, drug dealer, incarcerated or even worse; instead, the 15-0 (7 KOs) Williams is arguably the top 21-and-under prospect in boxing today.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not the average 21-year-old when it comes to street stuff,\u201d Williams explained. \u201cI want to buy my mother a house outside of the environment we\u2019ve lived in. She didn\u2019t want something to happen to me or for me to be a member of a gang. She lived scared for me, but kept me on the right path.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m smarter and a better person because of the people around me like my mother, Aunt Addy (Irizarry) and Paul. He is family and plays a big role in my life. He\u2019s been more of a father figure for me and he looks at me as a son, until it\u2019s time to take care of business.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the tender age of seven, Williams attended his first boxing show with his Irizarry at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Mykey told his mother that he wanted to start boxing, so Aunt Addy, who was trained by Cichon at that time, brought him to Cichon in nearby Manchester.<\/p>\n
Williams went on to become a five-time national amateur champion, compiling a 45-13 amateur record, highlighted by three Ringside World titles, in addition to gold medals performances at the National PAL and National Silver Gloves championship.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday,\u201d Cichon quickly states, \u201cMykey is my best friend. Why? I put a lot of emphasis on loyalty. I lost the PAL gym (pipes burst, and boxing program was eliminated) 10 years ago, but he stayed with me. I\u2019d pick him up and we\u2019d go to gyms all over Connecticut for workouts until I opened my gym (Manchester ROCS). He kept calling. Mykey drives me. Honestly, if it wasn\u2019t for Mykey, I probably wouldn\u2019t be in boxing anymore. He keeps me young.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe bonded right away, just clicked. I can\u2019t explain why, but we\u2019re together all these years later, and we have a very, very special relationship. When he was young, he was an angry boy, they called him \u2018Mad Mykey\u2019. But I\u2019ve watched him grow into a humble, happy, grown man. I used to walk by him at the gym and ask, \u2018Who loves you?\u2019 He\u2019d say, You, You,\u2019 and then I\u2019d give him a big hug. His drive and work ethic are special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) United States super lightweight title this Thursday, headlining a DiBella Entertainment show streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS\u00ae, live from Generoso Pope Athletic Complex on the campus of St. Francis College in Brooklyn. Williams, who is promoted by Lou DiBella and managed by Jackie Kallen, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) United States super lightweight title against challenger Tre\u2019Sean Wiggins (11-4-2, 6 KOs) in the 10-round main event.<\/p>\n
\u201cMykquan and Paul have one of the best fighter\/trainer relationships I\u2019ve ever seen,\u201d Kallen commented. \u201cThey respect each other and trust one another totally. Paul is more than just a trainer. He is also a teacher, confidante, and father-figure. Together they make magic. I\u2019m proud to be part of this wonderful team. We\u2019re going all the way together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that we\u2019re together for a reason,\u201d Cichon concluded. \u201cI\u2019ve been telling people for 10 years that he\u2019ll be world champion,\u201d. \u201cWe\u2019re in no hurry, though, he\u2019s only 21. We\u2019re enjoying this ride, but we never lose sight of what we both want: winning the world title.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[AdSense-A] Photo by Emily Harney Despite their 40 years age difference, undefeated, 21-year-old \u201cMarvelous\u201d Mykquan Williams and his head trainer, Paul Cichon, enjoy a special relationship that started 14 years ago. Their unique journey could very well result in a storybook ending with a world title belt put around Williams\u2019 waist and Cichon smiling by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[20919],"class_list":["post-83513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boxing-news","tag-boxings-odd-couple-driving-to-glory-undefeated-mykquan-williams-head-trainer-paul-cichon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=83513"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83513\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=83513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=83513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=83513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}