At the press conference today, Julian Williams (27-1-1) felt comfortable as he will be fighting in his hometown for the first time since 2011 against Jeison Rosario (19-1-1) Saturday night at the Liacouras Center for the IBF, WBA and IBO super welterweight titles. The pressure of him being the main event does not phase him one bit.

“I’m just focused,” Williams said. “It’s just 12 rounds, 36 minutes. I’m not antsy, I’m a professional. I’m not going to make it bigger than what it is, and I’m not going to add more pressure to myself.”

This will be his first defense of those titles after winning them last May over Jarrett Hurd, and the momentum from that win gives him great confidence over his opponent in Rosario. He knows that it will be the first time that Rosario will fight for a world title, and he feels that his experience in big fights will carry him to a victory.

“I’ve been a pro for almost ten years. I’ve had about 30 fights so I’m relaxed.”

During the press conference, Rosario’s trainer said that his fighter is going into this bout with nothing to lose and Rosario himself said that it was going to be a war. As a response, the Philly native told Rosario and his trainer that saying that is not a good way to assess the fight.

“I kept hearing his coach saying, ‘We have nothing to lose,'” Williams said. “That’s false. The coach has nothing to lose. Four fighters lost their lives last year. (Rosario) could die on Saturday night and I could, too. So we both have something to lose.”

Rosario, who currently resides in Miami by way of the Dominican Republic, is going to take part in his first world title fight. He is ranked 5th in the IBF and 9th in the WBA, and is coming off a win over Jorge Cota last April. He hasn’t lost since 2017 and wants to continue that winning streak on Saturday night.

“I feel great,” Rosario said at the press conference through a translator. “I feel comfortable, and I feel motivated.”

“My career really started after my first defeat. It was a different stage in my career. Every fight I am learning more and more. This is my first full training camp so I feel that I am ready.”

He wants to make this an exciting fight and doesn’t have an exact prediction but he knows that he wants to come out of the Liacouras Center as the winner.

“I am coming for war. I will do my best and at the end of the night, I will have my hand raised.”

Cover photo by James Bell