Troy Williamson, British, Commonwealth, English and European champion. Let’s add a fifth: People’s champion.
And the 34-year-old is going out to meet his fans and the good people of Teesside and Durham this Saturday (January 10) when he makes a public appearance at the Active Body Conditioning Centre on Cheltenham Road in Stockton-on-Tees (postcode TS18 2QQ) from 11am to 2pm.
‘Trojan’ is still the talk of boxing after demolishing Callum Simpson in Leeds on the Saturday before Christmas to become the British, Commonwealth, and European champion, all live on BBC TV.
Whether you want to go along for a chat, shake his hand, have a picture with him, get an autograph or take a close look at some of boxing’s most famous belts or all the above then here is your choice.
If you are a fan of ‘Trojan’ or boxing it is too good a chance to miss or if you are a fighter or sports person of any type, it is an opportunity to speak to a winner, a warrior who has fought his way back to the top in spectacular fashion. Imagine being able to tap into his mind and soul?
His rejuvenation as a boxer is one of 2025’s greatest stories.
After three defeats on the spin, and four losses in five contests, few gave him a chance in his English super-middleweight title challenge in September against defending champ Mark Dickinson in Houghton.
Just behind on the scorecards of the ringside judges at the start of round nine, Williamson needed something special, and he produced it, felling the West Rainton fighter with a left-left-right salvo, with referee Reece Carter stopping the bout seconds later.
If few gave him a chance against Dickinson even less marked the Darlington fighter as a possible winner against reigning British, Commonwealth and European champion Simpson last month.
Troy told everyone who would listen that the three belts would be his and how he delivered. Somehow, and punch-lines is not sure how, Simpson was up on the cards, but Williamson’s clinical overhand right decked the Barnsley fighter early in round 11.
Williamson sent him to the canvas a further three times before referee Lee Every finally brought the fight to a halt.
It made it four belts in two bouts and put him into world title contention and deservedly so.
But, probably more than anything, it was vindication for the boxer himself.
A former GB Boxing star as an amateur, as a professional, under the coaching of Craig Carney at the Phil Thomas School of Boxing in Middlesbrough, Williamson was undefeated in his first 20 appearances.
He collected the IBF European light-middleweight belt along the way, but his greatest night came in September 2021, at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, where he stopped the excellent Ted Cheeseman to become the British light-middleweight champ.
Defeat in his second defence to the brilliant Josh Kelly was his first set-back and then came three straight losses, to Caoimhin Agyarko and Ishmael Davis, and to American Jahi Tucker in Las Vegas.
Some might have called it a day, but Williamson always had confidence in his ability and his ambitions, believing he could make a serious impression at super-middleweight.
The Jordan Williams-trained fighter has done just that.
And now you have the chance to go along and see the man himself and all those belts.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jason Corbett/Mindenwood Photography
