On the eve of his fight with Patrice Volny, Austin “Ammo” Williams dismissed the modern-day culture of “perfection” that demands that fighters remain undefeated.
He and Canada’s Volny fight at middleweight on Saturday at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida in their attempts to secure a world-title fight later in 2025, and aware that the picture surrounding the titles in their weight division is evolving.
They headline a promotion also featuring Edgar Berlanga-Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz, Jamaine Ortiz-Yomar Alamo and the Olympian Omari Jones’ professional debut
Perhaps equally relevant to the 28-year-old Williams is the fact that he fights for the second time since having recorded his only defeat – to Hamzah Sheeraz in June 2024 – and that there remains a perception that that defeat continues to undermine his value.
“We’re closing in on ending an era of perfection, where everything has to be perfect, which I believe ruins fighters; makes guys not want to take risks,” he said. “That’s never been ‘Ammo’ Williams. To land here is just a dream come true for me. The Ammo show, you will see explosion, and beyond explosion you’ll see brilliance; you’ll see class.
“Y’all are witnessing the beginning of something very special.
“Everybody who’s been on this journey with me – y’all seen me. My highest of highs, and lowest of lows. I’m inspired by the people on this card – Omari Jones, right here. Olympian. Helping me push myself forward.
“[My promoter Eddie Hearn] knew he was going to build me up through professional boxing. I had to go around the world; I’ve been in the Middle East; United Kingdom; Madison Square Garden; MGM Grand. Putting on big shows; fighting swing bouts and ending up two fights before Anthony Joshua; right before Katie Taylor. My journey has not been textbook. We figuring this thing out as we went along.
“It’s a race. Everybody’s running. You on your last leg no matter what.You’re on top of the mountain one day; you can get knocked off to the ground the next. So to take sacrifices and real fights, it gets scary for fighters.”
Volny, 35, has also previously recorded defeat – against Brazil’s Esquiva Falcao in 2021.
“Ammo’s a tough fighter; good fighter,” he said. “But I’ve been in the game a long time. I’ve been on the road a long time. I’m here to fight – that’s what I love.
“My team called me to say, ‘Do you want to fight Ammo?’. I said, ‘Yes’, right away. I’m not here to just fight regular fights. If I make it, I make it. If I don’t, it’s the game. I’m 100 per cent in. It’s going to be a great, amazing, fight.”
Absorbing perhaps even more attention than the main event is the 22-year-old Jones, whose home city is Orlando. He fights the 14-5 (4KOs) Italian Alessio Mastronunzio, and does so having established himself as one of America’s most promising fighters by earning a bronze medal at welterweight at Paris 2024.
“I’m ready,” he said. “It’s been seven months since the Olympic Games. I’ve been ready for this moment. There’s a difference between the amateur and professional ranks but he’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I’m gonna use my speed, my skills and my talent. I ready to perform for my city, Orlando, Florida.
“This was the plan and what we wanted to do. It was worth the wait. Coming to my city; doing this; performing. I know the kids and my crowd is going to be watching and I’m here to continue to inspire the youth. They see me do it – they can definitely do it as well.”
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn is overseeing Saturday’s promotion, and of the main event simply said: “This is a great fight between two great middleweights that’s going to take the winner on to a shot for the world middleweight title.”