Gareth Williams puts skill before power in Teremoana’s heavyweight rise

Gareth Williams believes Teremoana Teremoana’s boxing ability deserves as much attention as his knockouts, with the trainer favouring measured development over a rush towards heavyweight honours. Speaking on Raw Sport, Williams described a fighter whose coordination, timing and composure underpin the power that has attracted attention.

With Hemi Ahio discussed as the next test, Williams said the task was to keep increasing the demands on Teremoana while giving him opportunities to apply what he practises in the gym. His assessment extended beyond the heavyweight prospect to Australian boxing’s development pathways and Jai Opetaia’s challenge against Deontay Wilder.

Williams recalled Teremoana singing and dancing on the way to his first professional fight, a contrast to the nerves he had expected. He sees that enjoyment as part of the boxer’s character. More significantly for his development, Williams highlighted an all-round athlete whose movement and coordination give him options beyond landing a heavy shot.

That distinction shapes how the trainer views the familiar demand for more rounds. Williams explained that experience is useful because of what happens within those rounds: dealing with a clinch, staying relaxed under pressure and avoiding unnecessary effort that can become costly late in a fight. Simply extending a contest would not, by itself, answer those questions.

He said the team had worked on those situations in training, while acknowledging that competition creates different pressures. Williams also described sparring in Thailand with visiting opponents, including rotating fresh partners into rounds. In his view, finding suitable heavyweight sparring in Australia can be difficult, making that preparation particularly valuable.

Ahio represents another step in that process. Williams spoke respectfully of his opponent’s toughness and power, rather than treating Teremoana’s previous stoppages as evidence that every challenge would unfold the same way. He wants the prospect to encounter meaningful tests before reaching the highest level.

“But to me, I like gradual progressions.” Williams’ preference was clear when asked about a world-title timeline. He suggested a challenge around Teremoana’s 18th professional fight as an ambition, while stressing that the intervening bouts would involve substantial steps and that circumstances could change. It was a development target, rather than a promised title opportunity.

Williams also credited Teremoana’s return to amateur boxing with strengthening his professional habits. He pointed to the structure around the national team, including nutrition and conditioning support, and argued that those disciplines need to be learned before a boxer expects the professional label to transform their preparation.

The wider conversation returned repeatedly to participation. Williams argued for more opportunities for young boxers to learn without having every experience defined by winning or losing. He proposed greater use of exhibitions and described a tag-based activity at his gym that introduces boxing movement without punches landing. His aim is to give more children a reason to stay involved and progress at their own pace.

On Opetaia, Williams again emphasised skill over the public focus on power. He expects a move to heavyweight to encourage a more deliberate use of Opetaia’s boxing ability, particularly against larger opponents. He believes Opetaia can outbox Wilder, but warned that pursuing a spectacular statement could create unnecessary openings against a dangerous right hand.

Williams regarded Wilder as a potential stumbling block despite favouring Opetaia’s overall ability. That caution reflected the same principle running through his discussion of Teremoana: confidence in a boxer’s talent must be matched by patience, judgement and respect for the challenge ahead. He finished by urging supporters to recognise fighters’ effort and avoid writing them off after a defeat.