Boxing: Long wait finally over as Williams defends title

It has been a long 12 months for the South London heavyweights Danny Williams and Keith Long, but they finally meet tonight at York Hall.

Williams will defend his British and Commonwealth titles in a fight that has been postponed several times and should have taken place last September before the American promoter Don King enticed Williams away. Williams, 29, ended his 12-month relationship with King in acrimonious circumstances a few weeks ago after just two fights in relative obscurity.

Long, who has fought just nine times, has waited patiently for a fight that few believe he is capable of winning, but the years he spent in the same gym and the same ring as Williams has convinced him he can pull off a surprise.

The pair have contrasting styles and Williams will have an advantage in weight of in excess of three stone.

In theory Williams who has lost just once in 27 fights should be far too big, far too powerful and simply too experienced for Long, but stranger things have happened. Long has a good chin and Williams has not fought for seven months and if his timing is off then a surprise could be on the cards.

It is also not unusual for two boxers who have known each other for a long time both in and out of the ring to put aside the form book when they finally meet in a competitive fight and that could be the case tonight.