Lavisas Williams to take the ‘ShoBox’ stage tonight

Feb

He was the most dangerous kindergartner in the county and his family knew Lavisas Williams needed a proper outlet to harness his energy, his emotions, his penchant for getting into physical altercations.

Enter the boxing gym…

Tonight, the 24-year-old Rochester, New York, junior lightweight with an 8-0-1 (3 knockouts) mark gloves up on “ShoBox,” Showtime’s feeder series, which helps introduce fight fans to some next generation standouts.

And it started for the NY boxer, who fights O’Shanique Foster (9-1, 6 KOs), when his stepfather brought him to that odorous joint, which was too loud, too dirty and totally to his liking.

“I was getting in street fights,” said Williams, who is promoted by Mercedes Vazquez, managed by Phil Greene and trained by ex-140-pound champ Charles Murray. “My stepdad didn’t think it was appropriate. I was fighting, basically protecting my brothers (there are four brothers and a sister in the family). He saw my potential and, after awhile, I thought I could make a career of it.”

If you haven’t seen Williams work, he’s got some speed and slickness. He switches up, wants to back up his foe, works behind a stiff jab. He has seen tape of his foe. “Me, I can box; I can brawl, whatever. (Foster’s) cautious. He paws a lot. He tries to figure you out. I think I win by decision.”

The fights unfold in Atlantic City. Showtime coverage starts at 10 p.m. Off-TV fights will stream on GFL.TV for a fee.

One definite plus: Being trained by a guy like Rochester native Murray aka “The Natural,” who has been there, done it and can communicate the work necessary to get to a certain place. I hear good buzz on Williams and will be curious to see if the former badass kindergartner looks to be a future star.

Michael Woods never napped during kindergarten. Instead, he’d practice ringside commentary with a Lincoln Log as a microphone. Drove his teacher nuts. You just couldn’t shut that boy down.