Mykquan Williams earned by far the most significant win of his promising career.
The rising prospect from Hartford, Connecticut scored three knockdowns en route to a sixth round, technical knockout victory over Luis Feliciano. Their battle of unbeaten junior welterweights saw Williams close the show at 1:43 of the sixth round in their ProBox TV main event Wednesday evening at Whitesands Events Center in Plant City, Florida.
Feliciano was once a prospect on the rise but a chunk of his prime was robbed by inactivity due to a prior dispute that led to his release from Golden Boy Promotions. It left him out of the ring for nearly two-and-a-half years before he returned in 2022 and earned three wins.
Wednesday marked his first bout since a narrow eight-round win over journeyman Clarence Booth last April 1 in his original hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has since relocated to Las Vegas, where he has set up shop with noted trainer Ismael Salas.
Williams was prepared for any game plan that came from that side.
The hard-luck 25-year-old has struggled to land the type of opportunities befitting his skill set. He was forced to settle for a draw in separate bouts versus Tre’Sean Wiggins in October 2019 and more recently Paulo Cesar Galdino last June. Both were nights where he seemed poised to take his career to the next level but had to go back to the drawing board and seek out the opportunity that would advance his career.
That moment finally arrived on Wednesday.
Williams scored two knockdowns early in round two. A chopping right hand sent Feliciano to the canvas. He was able to beat the count but was clearly on unsteady legs and forced down during the very next exchange.
Feliciano spent the rest of the round attempting to clear his head. Williams went on the attack and targeted the body, but appeared to empty his tank a little too early. Feliciano tried to battle back but missed wildly with an overhand right and was clipped with a straight right hand just before the bell.
Feliciano managed to avoid knockdown calls in rounds three and four.
Williams forced Feliciano to the canvas near the end of the third but the sequence was ruled a slop by the referee. Williams—who spent most of the fight with a mouse around his right eye—was arguably cheated out of a knockdown in the fourth, when a left hook landed, after which Feliciano was once again down. It was waved off as a push, to the chagrin of Williams who simply went back on the hunt.
Felciano tried to force the action early in round five. Williams was content to let him come forward, as he picked off most of the incoming and landed with subtly damaging shots of his own.
The bitter end came in the sixth. Feliciano dodged a few bullets to make it to that point but was unable to avoid Williams’ right hand. Two such shots sent him to the canvas for the bout’s third and final knockdown. Feliciano beat the count and was given plenty of time to prove he could continue but failed to convince the referee as the fight was stopped.
Feliciano fell to 17-1 (8KOs). At age 30 and with the prior inactivity, there are concerns that his best days are already behind him before his career had a chance to lift off the ground. This bout was part of a multi-fight deal signed with ProBox, so there is potential for a resurrection.
Meanwhile, Williams is on to bigger and better things. He advanced to 20-0-2 (9KOs) with just his second stoppage win in his past eleven starts. By his own admission, he entered the fight with something to prove and did just that.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. X (formerly Twitter): @JakeNDaBox