The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

IT didn’t take Rashield Williams that long to win his fourth professional boxing match for the year.

On Saturday at the Tampa Beatdown at the Alessi Gym Fitness Center in Tampa, Florida, Williams needed less than two minutes in the second round to dispose of Venezuelan native Nestor Armas ‘El Cacique’ Hernandez.

After a slow start in the first round, Williams turned up the heat in the second round and he went to work, connecting on a right upper before he came back with a left hook that floored Hernandez to signal the end of the bout. “In the first round, it was like a chess match. We were trying to feel each other out,” Williams said.

“But in about a minute and 20 seconds in the second round, I was just too much for him to handle with the upper cut and the left hook.”

The 34-year-old Williams, who improved to 10-2 with his fourth win for the year, said he knew that Hernandez, who came into the match with an impressive 22-10-1 record, would have been a formidable opponent.

“Although he had 22 wins and 21 by knockouts, I wasn’t too worried sbout it,” Williams stated.

“He’s a strong fighter, but he just wasn’t as strong as I was. So in the second round, I just had to take him out.”

At this stage in his career, Williams said he’s been tremendously pleased with his progress.

“Everything is just coming into place,” he said. “God is doing some great things for me. I just have to continue focusing and training hard and be out of harm’s way. I know God has something special in store for me.”

Williams, who trains out of the Contenders Boxing Gym under the supervision of coaches Melvin Rivus and Steven Ray, is now looking forward to a possible title fight in the new year.

He noted that he intends to take some time off after Thanksgiving to return home to reunite with his family and friends before he starts his training for next year.

“I haven’t been home for a minute, so I’m looking forward to eating some conch salad and relaxing myself,” Williams said. “I’m just so excited about the direction in which my career is heading right now.”

Hopefully, he will enjoy the trip just as he did his appearance in his last bout.