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The Who's Rock Opera Proves Itself A Timeless Classic In A Performance At The
F.m. Kirby Center On Tuesday Night.

Anna J. Carey

By DOUG PAPE dpape@leader.net
 Tuesday, February 05, 2002 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1E 





WILKES-BARRE - The British are coming! The British are coming! &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Well, it's only one man, he's been here for awhile and instead of a
military invasion, Dean ``The British Bomber'' Williams is promising to
explode in the world of professional boxing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The 28-year-old Wales native trains at the Odyssey Fitness Center in
Wilkes-Barre and believes his prowess rivals a famous former champion. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The people around here haven't seen nothing like me,'' Williams said.
``The last time they've seen a fighter like me was when Larry Holmes fought in
the area.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Williams, the World Boxing Federation intercontinental cruiserweight
(176-194 pounds) champion, was born and raised in Merthyr Tudfil, Wales. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``The way of life for most of the people that live there is the pub every
day,'' he said of the small mining town. ``There's no work.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He found boxing after getting picked on by bullies. He went into a local
gym at age 8, where it was trial by punches ... like learning to swim by
getting pushed in the deep end of the pool. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I describe myself as being a natural because the first day I was in the
gym they put me in the ring,'' he said. ``They put you right to it to let you
know that you don't come to play around in the gym, that it's a breaking-bones
sport.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The gym became Williams' refuge. His home life wasn't the best because his
father was a member of the British Navy and was almost always away. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Williams worked his way through the amateur ranks. He said he compiled a
78-4 record and is a two-time British amateur champion. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He went to military school and after graduation joined the British Navy. He
served six years on a supply ship, which saw action in Operation Desert Storm. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Upon discharge, he moved to Australia and later to Brooklyn, N.Y. to live
with friends. He worked as a bouncer at a nightclub and got re-interested in
boxing. He trained at Gleason's Gym, a New York fighting institution. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He turned professional in 1997 and won his first bout. He entered the
Philadelphia boxing scene and was introduced to the underside of the business.
Instead of starting with tuneup fights, his handlers at the time put him in
with mostly seasoned Philly fighters. The result, a 4-2 record. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He claims to be friends with Lennox Lewis from the amateur circuit. He
trained alongside but didn't spar with Lewis at his training camp in the
Poconos. Williams said he also sparred Larry Holmes and Tim Witherspoon. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He met his future wife, Tanya, at Lewis' camp. The couple, who have been
married two years, reside in Newfoundland, Pa. She is part of his training
staff, helping with conditioning and protecting him by working on defense. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Williams has a manager, Bruce Schoenberg of Brucelli Advertising in
Dunmore. Since they met two years ago, Williams has improved to 14-2, with 11
knockouts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We have the same mind-set,'' Schoenberg said. ``We know the job that has
to be done and we're focused on the next couple fights. We have to get those
under his belt. We know they're going to be wins in defense of the title and
then move on from there.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In September, he KO'd Eric ``Rhino'' Rhinehart for the vacant WBF
intercontinental title. The belt was vacated by Throop's Chris Mills. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Williams, at a lean 6-foot-2, describes himself as a boxer/puncher with a
devastating left jab. He claims to have knocked out some of an opponent's
teeth with a jab, knocked another through the ring ropes and launched some
poor soul onto the judges' table. Schoenberg said no one would get in the ring
with Williams by week's end of a recent sparring session in South Carolina. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Williams is willing to drop in weight class or fight anywhere to ascend the
ranks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Without hesitation, he spoke of his goals: ``To be undisputed champion of
the world and I know I will be. I want to make serious money. I'm focused on
it because it's not like I have a college education. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I want to fight as long as it takes to make my money and I want to be
known as a great fighter, I want to turn heads. I don't have a college degree.
This is my college degree right here - my hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I'm looking forward to fighting in the area and hoping that the people
are going to come out and support a great fighter because I will give them
their money's worth.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Doug Pape, a Times Leader sports writer, can be reached at 829-7227. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

`the British Bomber' Zeroing In On Big Impact In The Ring 
Wbf Cruiserweight Champ Dean Williams, Who Trains At A W-b Fitness Club, Has
Big Ambitions: An Undisputed World Crown.

`the British Bomber' Zeroing In On Big Impact In The Ring Wbf Cruiserweight Champ Dean Williams, Who Trains At A W-b Fitness Club, Has Big Ambitions: An Undisputed World Crown.