Julian Williams (boxer) facts for kids

Julian "J-Rock" Williams (born April 5, 1990) is an American professional boxer. He held important boxing titles, including the WBA (Super), IBF, and IBO light middleweight championships from 2019 to 2020. He is known for his exciting fights and strong performances in the ring.

Julian Williams' Early Boxing Days

Julian Williams started boxing when he was 12 years old. As an amateur, he had a very good record, winning 77 fights and only losing 10. He was ranked among the top five boxers in the country at the national level. Even though he never won a national tournament, his talent was clear. His trainer, Stephen Edwards, helped him train more seriously when Julian became a professional boxer.

Julian Williams' Professional Boxing Journey

Julian Williams began his professional boxing career in May 2010. His first fight was a big success; he won by technical knockout (TKO) in the first round against Antonio Chaves Fernandez. This meant the referee stopped the fight because his opponent could not continue safely.

Key Fights and Challenges

In April 2013, Julian showed his power by stopping Dashon Johnson in the third round with a TKO. This improved his record to 12 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. In his next fight, he faced former world champion Joachim Alcine. Julian won this fight by a unanimous decision, meaning all the judges agreed he was the winner. Even though Alcine fought back hard, Julian managed to win.

Later, Julian fought another promising boxer, Hugo Centeno Jr.. However, their fight ended in a no contest. This happened because of an accidental headbutt, which meant the fight results were not counted.

Challenging for a World Title

On December 10, 2016, Julian Williams got a chance to fight for the IBF title against champion Jermall Charlo. Charlo kept his title by stopping Julian in the fifth round. Julian fought bravely, but Charlo landed some powerful punches that led to the referee stopping the fight. After the fight, there was some tension between the two boxers, as Charlo felt Julian had disrespected him before the match.

Becoming a Unified Champion

A big moment in Julian's career came on May 11, 2019. He fought Jarrett Hurd for the unified light middleweight championship. This was a very exciting fight, with both boxers giving their all. Julian managed to knock Hurd down in the second round and performed better throughout the match. He won by unanimous decision, becoming a unified world champion! This meant he held multiple major titles at the same time.

Losing the Titles

In his first defense of his new titles, Julian faced Jeison Rosario on January 18, 2020. Julian started the fight well, but Rosario proved to be a strong opponent. In the fifth round, Rosario took control, hitting Julian with strong punches. The referee had to stop the fight, and Rosario won, taking Julian's titles in an upset.

Recent Fights

Since then, Julian has continued to box. On June 24, 2023, he fought Carlos Adames for an interim middleweight title but lost by TKO in the ninth round. More recently, on January 12, 2024, Julian won a fight against Gustavo David Vittori by TKO in the second round. On March 1, 2025, Julian Williams fought Yoenis Tellez for the interim WBA light middleweight title at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Julian lost this fight by unanimous decision after 12 rounds.

Julian Williams' Life Outside the Ring

Julian was raised in West Philadelphia. He is a Muslim.

Julian Williams' Boxing Record Summary

Julian Williams has had a long and exciting professional boxing career. Here is a quick look at his record:

See also

In Spanish: Julian Williams para niños

• List of male boxers
• List of world light-middleweight boxing champions