Jarrett Hurd vs Julian Williams Odds & Pick
- Unbeaten champion Jarrett Hurd is favored to defend his three title belts against Julian Williams
- Hurd will have a size advantage and the home crowd on his side in Virginia
- Williams is making his second attempt to land a world title
Jarrett Hurd continues his attempt to gain major pound-for-pound recognition when he defends his triple world junior middleweight titles against Julian Williams at the EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia, on Saturday, May 11 (8:00 p.m EST).
The undefeated Hurd is a huge -495 favorite, while the challenger Williams is at +370.
Hurd vs Williams Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jarrett Hurd | -495 |
| Julian Williams | +370 |
Hurd, 28, is undefeated in 23 contests and is making his fourth world-title defense with the WBA, IBF and IBO belts on the line.
Williams, who is 29, has racked up a record of 26 wins and one defeat in 29 fights, with his record also sporting one draw and one no contest.
Williams’ sole defeat came when he failed in a bid to land the IBF title against Jermall Charlo in Los Angeles in December 2016.
Hurd vs Williams: Tale of the Tape
| 23 | Wins | 26 |
| 0 | Losses | 1 |
| 0 | Draws | 1 |
| 6′ 1″ | Height | 5′ 10½″ |
| 77″ | Reach | 72″ |
| 16 | KOs | 16 |
Hurd Is Fighting Just 30 Miles From Home
There will be a significant “home-ring” advantage for Hurd as the fight takes place in Fairfax, Virginia, just 30 miles from his home in Accokeek, Maryland. Williams, who boxes under the nickname J Rock, is from Philadelphia.
At 6’1 and with a reach of 77″, Hurd is known for enjoying significant size advantages in the 154-pound division. He is a high-pressure fighter, although he has been criticized as a slow starter.
Hurd Is Rated #1 By The Ring Magazine
Hurd is rated number one in the weight class by The Ring magazine, although their “champion” position is vacant. Williams is ranked at number eight.
ESPN also rates Hurd as the best in the division with Williams at seventh.
Hurd’s Recent History
Hurd captured the vacant IBF prize by defeating Tony Harrison with a 10th-round stoppage in Birmingham, Alabama, in February, 2017.
A successful defense came against Austin Trout the following October with the opponent’s corner retiring him at the end of round 10.
The WBA and IBO titles were added in a split-decision victory against the technically gifted Cuban champion Erislandy Lara in Las Vegas in April last year.
Hurd’s most recent fight was a fourth-round stoppage of Jason Welborn at the Staples Center in Los Angeles last December, his 16th knockout finish. It was Hurd’s first defense of the WBA and IBO titles and his third defence of the IBF belt.
Hurd is fancied to achieve wider recognition in the pound-for pound stakes if he continues to pile up his impressive unbeaten record.
Williams’ Recent History
Williams has recorded four straight wins since his defeat by Charlo in 2016, rebuilding his career to earn a second shot at a world title.
He is noted for being a clever fighter although he was stopped in the fifth round in the challenge against Charlo after suffering three knockdowns.
Julian Williams: I'm Motivated By Glory, Titles And Money https://t.co/KalBGBryRk pic.twitter.com/wirUSwoF0I
— BoxingScene.com (@boxingscene) May 2, 2019
After the Charlo setback, he beat Joshua Conley with a seventh round stoppage and Ishe Smith with a unanimous decision over 10 rounds.
He then scored a majority decision against Jamaica’s Nathaniel Gillemore. His most recent fight delivered a second-round knockout of Francisco Javier Castro of Mexico in Los Angeles last December, the same card on which Hurd stopped Welborn.
Pick: Hurd (-495)
John Dillon is a leading member of the UK's sporting media, having spent three decades as a national newspaper soccer and sports writer, broadcaster and author. He has covered five World Cups, six European Championships and was Chief Sports Writer at the Daily Express for 14 years.
