Ricardo Williams (boxer)

Ricardo Williams, Jr. (born June 25, 1981 in Cincinnati, OH) is a professional boxer. Williams won a Light Welterweight Silver Medal at the 2000 Olympic Games, and turned pro in the following year and was immediately dubbed as a future star in the sport and the best fighter to come out of the 2000 games.

Williams had a stellar amateur career. His highlights include:

• 1998 United States Amateur Light welterweight champion
• 1998 National Golden Gloves Light welterweight champion.
• 1999 United States Amateur Light welterweight champion
• Represented the United States as a Light welterweight at the 2000 Sydney Olympic games, winning a silver medal. His results were:
  • Defeated Henry Collins (Australia) RSC 4
  • Defeated Ajose Olusegun (Nigeria) RSC 4
  • Defeated Aleksandr Leonov (Russia) 17-12
  • Defeated Diógenes Luña (Cuba) 42-41
  • Lost to Mohamad Abdulaev (Uzbekistan) 20-27

Known as "Slicky Ricky", Williams was an extremely talented fighter with power in both fists, but quickly become known for his uninspired performances as a pro. Two years after turning pro, Williams tendency to undertrain hurt him severely, as he dropped a unanimous decision to unheralded Juan Valenzuela. The following year, fighting 11 pounds higher than when he had turned pro, Williams turned in yet another disappointing performance against journeyman Manning Galloway, and lost a split decision.

Rather than going on to win the expected title belt, in 2005 Williams had a serious run in with the law which brought any title dreams crashing down. He was sentenced to three years in prison for his part in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine shipped to Cincinnati via FedEx.

This charge was a crushing blow to Cincinnati sports fans, who recently had another boxing titlist and former Olympian, Tim Austin, charged with serious crimes.

After serving 31 months of his sentence, Williams was released from prison and resumed his boxing training. In his first fight since his release, in June 2008 he stopped Sebastian Hamel after just 91 seconds of a welterweight bout. He has won three other fights since then, including a January 2009 victory against Doel Carrasquillo.