Liam Williams has dismissed concerns over his return to boxing, despite previously admitting he feared brain damage and had suffered multiple concussions. The Welsh middleweight will face Elvis Ahorgah in Lagos, Nigeria, on July 31, less than two years after retiring following a stoppage loss to Hamzah Sheeraz in 2024.
Williams' Previous Health Concerns
After his defeat to Sheeraz, Williams revealed he had endured three or four concussions over an 18-month period and could no longer take shots to the head. He also disclosed that a doctor advised him against fighting Chris Eubank Jr in 2022, but he proceeded anyway and lost comfortably on points.
When asked about those comments ahead of his comeback, Williams was dismissive. "I don't really want to talk about that, to be honest with you," he said. "I don't really want to put any negatives on the fight. Of course people have those questions but I just don't want anything negative. I'm feeling really good and I'm in a good place right now."
Medical Clearance and Training
Williams insisted he is fully fit and cleared to compete. "I'm 100 per cent good to go. All my medicals are in check; I'm up to date and I'm good to fight. I've been having some hard sparring and some good, tough work against some solid opponents and performing really well," he stated.
The 32-year-old won British, Commonwealth, and European titles earlier in his career but fell short at world level. He now seeks to reignite his ambitions, though he remains realistic about his prospects.
Retirement and Return Motivation
Reflecting on his retirement, Williams said the initial months were enjoyable due to the lack of pressure. "For the first few months of retirement I was really happy because there was no more pressure on my shoulders. It was Christmas and I could do whatever I wanted, go out when I wanted and eat and drink what I wanted. But that quickly faded and I missed the routine. I had lived a certain lifestyle for 15 years."
He revealed he has been training for nearly a year but struggled to secure a fight date. "I was hoping to fight in Cardiff a couple of months ago and there have been whispers of a few things but they didn't materialise. Now it's just about getting the big fights. Obviously the dream is to become world champion. I boxed for a title twice and fell a bit short. I don't really know if I'm going to get back to where I was but never say never."
