Boxing: Williams may consider Cook challenge

Dazzo Williams had to survive a late rally from Jamie McKeever to retain his British featherweight title in a fight that was predictably close at the Bridgend Recreation Centre on Saturday night.

Williams, 29, and McKeever, 24, operate on the wrong side of the boxing tracks in Britain and have traded punches with a few other fighters in a random series of entertaining fights. They are not world class, but they are good, quality professionals.

On Saturday Williams was just a bit too mobile for the former champion, who lost the title to Roy Rutherford, the man Williams won the title from, and there was no disputing the final verdict of 116-113 in favour of the reigning champion.

In the modern business of British boxing, there are fighters like Williams, McKeever and Rutherford in most of the 13 weight divisions, and they all work at a level below the sport's expanding élite. The proliferation of so-called world titles during the last decade has mostly kept quality British fighters away from British title fights, which has not been a good thing for the business.

In theory, Williams should be able to step up and challenge either Glasgow's World Boxing Organisation featherweight champion Scott Harrison, or Manchester's Michael Brodie, who fights for the World Boxing Council version of the title on 10 April. However, both Harrison and Brodie have moved to a much higher level and a challenge from a British champion like Williams looks remote.

One alternative for Williams, who improved his record to 10 wins and two losses, could be a fight against the unbeaten Commonwealth champion, Nicky Cook who challenges for the European version on 20 March. Williams against Cook would be an entertaining and competitive fight and one that would leave the winner just a short distance from a fight against either Harrison or Brodie. And that would be a fight that would pay huge financial dividends, which after all is what boxers fight for.