BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ricardo Williams
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In his first major international bout, Cincinnati light welterweight Ricardo Williams Jr. struck a blow for the Americans Tuesday at the Goodwill Games against Cuba.
Williams, 17, outpointed 25-year-old Damian Austin, 6-2, in five rounds to move into Thursday's semifinal against world silver medalist Paata Gvasaliya of Russia at the Theater at Madison Square Garden.
"I consider it like my championship bout. It was against a real tough opponent," Williams said Tuesday evening from New York. "We're proving to people here that we're as good as the Cubans. There's been a lot of negative things said about us against the Cubans, but we're proving we belong."
Another 17-year-old, Roberto Benitez, from Marquette, Mich., decisioned Cuba's world flyweight champ, Manuel Mantilla, 12-8. Also, Teaunce Shepherd of Marquette, Mich., beat Rudinelson Hardy, 16-3, in the opening featherweight bout.
Other American winners Tuesday were flyweight John Medina of Fort Carson, Colo., who beat world championship bronze medalist Omar Varvaes of Argentina, 9-8; and Jermain Taylor of Little Rock, Ark., who beat light-middleweight Nurzhin Smanov of Kazahkstan, 9-8.
Williams, a two-time Junior Olympic champion from the West End who boxes for the Buddy LaRosa-sponsored Cincinnati Golden Gloves, is bidding for a gold medal in his first senior open international tournament.
He arrived in New York as the top-ranked 139-pounder in the United States' senior open class with victories in the U.S. Challenge and National Golden Gloves.
"This is a stop along the way. He's trying to get that (Olympic) gold medal in 2000," said LaRosa, the Cincinnati pizza baron who made the trip to New York.
"I'm here to make sure the sharks don't get him. To help keep him focused. He's a class young man, and it's been a pleasure to watch him develop. He just gets better and better every time he fights." Williams admitted that he had butterflies in the first round, particularly when Austin kept coming at him like his coaches had warned.
But near the end of the two-minute round, Williams scored a knockdown on a counter punch when his straight left hand floored Austin.
"I was nervous. There was a lot of pressure. I used my speed and movement and made him miss a lot," Williams said. "Every time he missed, I made him pay. I sensed he was strong, that he had firepower. But he didn't have too much respect for me at the beginning. He was throwing a lazy jab out there, but when I knocked him down, it was a wake-up call, and the fight was on."
Ten minutes is the longest Williams has boxed by a minute, but he had enough left in the fifth and final round to pad his 4-2 lead. "A lot of combinations," Cincinnati Golden Gloves coach Mike Stafford said. "He kept moving."
Williams said he thinks he should beat the slower Russian Thursday, which means he'll be looking at a rematch in Saturday's title bout against fellow American Ebo Elder of Newman, Ga.. Elder, ranked No. 2 in the United States, has lost to Williams at the U.S. championships and U.S. Challenge.
But for now, Williams is savoring his first taste of the big time, which included a TBS interview.
"It's been a good trip," Williams said. "I'm starting to get a lot of respect from my teammates and coaches here. I'm finding my level."
Goodwill Games coverage from Associated Press
