Featherweight Tramaine Williams had a seizure in the ring when he collapsed mid-fight last year and unsurprisingly that experience proved transformative. After that contest, he gave up alcohol, but that wasn’t before he went down a deep spiral of depression.

Williams faces unbeaten Kevin Walsh on Saturday at the Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The bout has since been re-contracted for junior lightweight with Walsh having a second weigh-in on fight night in which he can weigh no more than 136lbs.

Williams, 20-2 (6 KOs), 32, looks to regain momentum in his career. The first step is defeating Walsh, 16-0 (9 KOs), also 32, in a sink-or-swim type bout with his career at the crossroads. A year before collapsing in the ring, Williams lost to Elijah Pierce, signaling his second loss in three fights, with his first career loss coming to Angelo Leo in a vacant title fight. After his collapse in Team Combat League, Williams hit another depressive moment in his life. 

“It's funny, because after I collapsed in the ring during my TCL fight, I was so embarrassed. I actually got back to drinking again, but after a while, it just wasn't fun anymore,” Williams told BoxingScene. “When you're young, it's fun, it's an escape. Then it gets to a point where it's not fun or an escape anymore.”

Williams collapsed in the ring with Ryan Allen during a one-round bout for the TCL. Williams explained the incident occurred based on his drinking habits, which he told BoxingScene, included binge-drinking up until five days before the fight. Williams stated issues outside of the ring and lifestyle habits contributed to the incident. Further, he fought Leo and Pierce at 30-40 per cent while focusing on weight loss during his training camp as opposed to craft. 

“We had a nine-week camp, and I was able to get my weight down properly,” Williams said. “I was able to focus on my technique again. I was able to get my conditioning back where it was five years ago."

Walsh of Brockton, Massachusetts, is riding a four-fight knockout streak heading into this fight. Williams marks a step-up in competition for Walsh and Williams believes that he is looked at as a diminished fighter. 

“I think that they got him to the point where he has a big head. He thinks he is a world beater, and he doesn't understand there’s levels to this thing,” Williams said. “He took the fight, basically basing it on my last three performances, and what happened last year. He's not basing it on me being focused and me being at a different level for him. I'm actually in a perfect position.”

“I was so talented that against Angelo Leo and Elijah Pierce, I fought those fights on pure talent and heart,” Williams added. “So, they're looking at it like I am going to come in this fight the same way. But I have reasons for why I was not prepared properly.”