Lara vs Hurd: Julian Williams-Nathaniel Gallimore fight added to card

As had been rumored and expected, it’s now been officially announced that junior middleweights Julian Williams and Nathaniel Gallimore will meet April 7 on Showtime, part of the Erislandy Lara-Jarrett Hurd card from Las Vegas.

Williams, 27, has won two straight since he was stopped by Jermall Charlo in December 2016, in Williams’ first and thus far only crack at a world title. He’s beaten Joshua Conley and Ishe Smith in those last two outings. Gallimore, 29, scored a career-best win over Justin DeLoach last July, dominating the fight and stopping DeLoach after five rounds.

Both Williams (24-1-1, 15 KO) and Gallimore (20-1-1, 17 KO) are ready for the pivotal showdown.

“This is going to be a really good fight on April 7,” said Williams. “Gallimore has been talking a big game, but I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder, and I’ve been training like it. I think he’s going to bring out something different in me.

“He’s going to find out that there are different levels to this game. He’s a bit of a stalker in the ring and he’s been knocking people out. He thinks he’s a puncher, but he hasn’t really fought the level of competition that I have. I don’t care if he’s training with Buddy McGirt now, because no one can save him when he’s in that ring.”

“This is going to be my coming out year,” said Gallimore. “This is a huge opportunity to present my skills and my abilities to the world. There’s no mistaking why I’m here, and I’ll make a statement starting with ‘J-Pebbles’ Williams. I call him ‘J-Pebbles’ because he’s not a ‘J-Rock.’ He’s an average fighter. There’s nothing special about him.

“The best way he can prepare is to do chin pushups, because I’m going to test his chin and that’s the only thing that can protect him. I’m going to dismantle him piece-by-piece, round-by-round, and when that time comes to seek and destroy, I’m going to take him out. I’m the one they should be worried about.”

Williams-Gallimore, which will be a title eliminator and set for 12 rounds, will open the tripleheader that evening, which also features a 168-pound title rematch between Caleb Truax and James DeGale.