Rise and Fall of Paul Williams Protégé Justin DeLoach

Editorial By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent



Several years ago, former World Welterweight champion Paul Williams transitioned from partially paralyzed athlete into boxing trainer. Williams was working with the then world ranked junior middleweight Justin DeLoach of Augusta, Georgia. DeLoach had beaten three undefeated fighters in his last four bouts, with his opponents combining for an incredible 57-0-1 in his last four bouts, going into the Nathaniel Gallimore bout on July 30, 2017.

A social media tirade culminated with DeLoach calling out contender Erickson Lubin, and entering the ring smiling with overconfidence against Gallimore, 18-1-1 out of Chicago, Illinois, an experienced Adrian Granados sparring partner. Gallimore had been in training for a different opponent for the same scheduled fight date, and was switched in as the DeLoach opponent. The DeLoach camp perhaps was not knowledgeable enough about Gallimore.



Gallimore maintained a tight defense, and frequently indicated to DeLoach none of his blows were hurting him. Using power shots mixed lethal uppercuts and overhand right hooks, Gallimore decked DeLoach in rounds one and two, and had him staggering around the ring by the end of round five. Ten months later, a DeLoach comeback attempt failed, as DeLoach got decked twice and lost a ten round decision to one Jeison Rosario, an opponent Gallimore had stopped in six rounds before defeating DeLoach.

DeLoach lost because his glaring flaws were exposed early, and his normal game plan was not followed. Tall and powerful, DeLoach had beaten superior opponents by boxing from the outside from range distance. Against Gallimore, he allowed their social media tirades to decay into a mostly center of the ring fight on the inside grudge match. At 6’`1”, His two inches height advantage was neutralized in an inside war with Gallimore, who broke down DeLoach and stopped him exactly as he had predicted. Why DeLoach was swinging wide, and fighting on the inside abandoning the theoretical Paul Williams game plan which had to have been emphasized, was anybody’s guess.

Gallimore, who lost twice to opponents with a combined 52-1-1-record in 2018, will fight a comeback next month. DeLoach, fighting at 148 pounds, his lowest weight in over five years, won a comeback eight-round decision over Michael Odhiambo three weeks ago.




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