I Remember Cleveland Williams

It was during the month of November in the year 2001. I was in Houston, Texas, for a National Convention of the Apostolic Assembly. I am an ordained minister in that organization. I have also been a boxing fan for most of my life. I remember Cleveland Williams. Although he was never a champ, I consider him among the greats in the heavyweight division of professional boxing. He won 78 fights and lost 13. He was afraid of no boxer in the ring. He "mixed it up" with both muhammed Ali and Sonny Liston. Although he was defeated by both of them; he hurt both of them with his brutal punches. He was called "The Big Cat." I was with another minister in the mini mart of a gas station in Houston; and it was no coincidence that when I saw a tall African-American man in the store: I asked him: "Would you please tell me me where Cleveland Williams lives? I need to talk to him about Jesus." He answered me and said: "You mean the big cat?" I responded with a yes. He told me: "I knew him well, I was his sparring partner, he died two years ago." I started to think about the man who fought with 5 Houston Police officers who had such a hard time arresting him; they shot him at close range. I do not judge what those officers did. I was not there. But Williams recovered from the wounds sustained from a 57 Magnum and got into the ring and fought the man considered to be the greatest heavyweight ever. And he did it with courage. Yes, I remember Cleveland Williams.