Former heavyweight boxing contender Carl “The Truth” Williams passed away after a long battle with esophageal cancer on Monday. He was 53.

Williams could have been heavyweight champion of the world. He had two shots at the title – one against Larry Holmes in 1985 and one against Mike Tyson in 1989. 

Williams took Holmes the distance but lost on a unaminous decision. Interestingly, Holmes was would lose the title in his very next fight against Michael Spinks later that year.

The record books show that Williams was yet another of Tyson’s first round victims. But prior to going down on the canvass, Williams was holding his own. Even though he got knocked down by Tyson’s left hook, Williams beat the count. But the referee counted him Williams out much to his dismay. 

But the damage was done. Williams was never the same fighter after the Tyson fight. He was 8-8-1 for the remainder of his professional career which ended in 1997.

Curiously, Tyson’s very next match after the Williams fight was against James “Buster” Douglas and we all know what happened that night in Tokyo.

Had the ref not counted out Williams could it have been he who was on the winning end of the upset of the century?

Alas, we will never know.