Julian Williams vs. Jeison Rosario: Preview and prediction

Julian Williams makes the first defense of his junior middleweight titles against lightly regarded Jeison Rosario in front of his hometown of Philadelphia.

Julian Williams (27-1-1, 16 KOs) defends his IBF, IBO, and WBA junior middleweight titles for the first time against little known Jeison Rosario (19-1-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday, Jan. 18, on PBC on FOX. Williams is the clear favorite, but Rosario’s lack of exposure makes this matchup intriguing.

Over the last two years, Williams has grown as a boxer. In 2018, Nathaniel Gallimore gave Williams a tough fight that saw Williams cut and bloodied, but he weathered the storm and used his boxing I.Q. to find a way to win.

The lone blemish on Williams’ record is a 2016 KO loss to Jermall Charlo. Williams looked fine until round 5. He threw a lazy series of punches and left himself open to a Charlo uppercut. Charlo caught Williams on the chin, and it was enough to scramble his circuits. Williams has looked like a different fighter ever since.

Williams defeated Jarrett Hurd in May to win his titles. Hurd is a physical boxer, but Williams was tougher and better conditioned. Before losing to Williams, Hurd was viewed as the boogeyman of the division. Williams raised his game to a new level and might be the most talented boxer in the division.

Rosario is a fringe contender. He has wins against above-average competition like Justin DeLoach and Jorge Cota but lost against top-tier boxer Gallimore. Gallimore took Rosario out in six rounds, but that was almost three years ago.

Rosario’s lack of elite opposition has him ranging as a 9-1 to 18-1 underdog, according to the Sportsbook Review. Those are daunting odds, but boxing styles could make this an exciting fight.

Rosario is a puncher, not a boxer. He relies on his power too much, but he makes for entertaining boxing bouts. His left hook is one of his better punches and has knockout power. Defensively, Rosario is still a work in progress.

Rosario carries his hands low, which leaves him open to headshots. His hand speed is average at best. He will try to bully Williams around the ring, but Williams should pick him apart with his jabs and combination punching.

If Rosario can drag Williams into a brawl, then he has a puncher’s chance. Williams is experienced and too smart to fall into that trap. He should wear Rosario down over time and methodically punish Rosario into stopping.

If Williams uses his speed and skill advantage over Rosario, he should stop Rosario by round 8. Rosario can connect on a few punches, but he’s too slow to be a danger to Williams.

Williams and Rosario have the gift of national exposure on FOX. You can see their battle at 8 p.m. ET.