Liam Williams Announces Retirement From Boxing

Liam Williams announced his retirement from boxing at age 32.

Williams is a former two-weight world title challenger and decided to announce his retirement in fear of CTE. He says he’s gotten too many concussions and wants to enjoy the rest of his life and not worry about his brain.

“I know that boxing is brutal,” Williams said to the BBC. “I came back to my dressing room (after the Sheeraz fight) feeling down and feeling bad for myself. I was devastated at how I had performed. I trust the people around me and, when they are telling you it’s over, you have to listen. It was very hard to hear. I’d had some problems with concussions. I had three or four in 18 months. I don’t want to box just for money and get a hit to the head you can never come back from. I’ve got a lovely family, a lovely partner. If I can’t enjoy my life with them because of damage to my brain, what would it be for?”

Liam Williams finishes his career with a record of 25-5-1 and fought the likes of Chris Eubank Jr., Demetrius Andrade, Liam Smith, and Hamzah Sheeraz among others.

Williams says he entered his bout against Eubank Jr. with a concussion and the doctors told him he shouldn’t fight.

“I probably shouldn’t say this,” Williams said, “but a doctor told me not to fight Eubank as I had been concussed again. I’d had the concussion from an elbow in the (Demetrius) Andrade fight, (and also) sparring. I probably knew I shouldn’t box Eubank, but there was a lot of money on the table.

The fight was in Cardiff and I had sold a lot of tickets. I sold £200,000 worth of tickets from my house. It was crazy. I didn’t want to let people down, so I didn’t say anything. I had no punch resistance against Eubank. Obviously I should have listened about not fighting.”

Liam Williams is a former British middleweight champion and WBC Silver middleweight champion.