Paul “The Punisher” Williams – Possible opponents
March 12th, 2010
By Christopher Lowe: The self proclaimed most avoided man in boxing Paul Williams has a May 8th date on HBO, but no opponent has been named yet. I was looking through the possible match ups and wanted to get the opinion of the boxingnews24 readers. What makes things even more interesting is Williams has the ability to fight in several weight classes. I will throw out 4 names with a little back ground and see who the people would prefer. Keep in mind these names are only fighters who don’t have fights scheduled already.
Cintron is the #3 ranked Jr. Middleweight by Ring Magazine. His only 2 defeats have come at the hands (illegally wrapped?) of Antonio Margarito at Welterweight. However that draw should have been a 3rd loss or at the very least have a huge asterisk next to it. Anyone who watched that fight seen Sergio Martinez caught him clean and Cintron didn’t answer the count. It was one of the strangest turn of events I personally every witnessed in boxing. Then Cintron came back with a big win over rising prospect Alfredo Angulo. That victory caused his stock to start rising again. With all that being said Cintron has more power than the other options and the best chance of making an action fight. If I am not mistaken Cintron is also the only boxer on this list to do business with HBO before as well. This could be a huge factor.
Felix Sturm 33-2-1 (14 KOs) Middleweight (160) WBA Champion
This is a fighter that I have little personal knowledge of honestly. He has only fought once in the United States against Oscar De La Hoya back in 2004. What makes this fight interesting to me is that Sturm carries the #1 Ring rank at Middleweight and the WBA belt. Now looking down the road this fight sets the table nicely for a Williams vs. Pavlik fight. If Williams where to defeat Sturm, which I think he would based on my limited incite of Sturm then it makes the Pavlik fight bigger. It would be a 3 belt unification match and possible middle tier pay per view at $35 if the undercard was right. So this fight is more about things to come than the actual event its self.
Vanes Martirosyan 27-0 (17 KOs) Jr. Middleweight (154)
I feel this fight is a stretch, but that speaks about the lack of options open. Martirosyan is the #9 ranked Jr. Middleweight at 23 years old. He doesn’t carry the experience to compete with Williams. In his last fight he defeated journey man Kassim Ouma by unanimous decision. Despite how the score cards read after 10 rounds it was far from easy for Vanes. It was apparent he struggled through out the fight and was dropped in round 9. If he was gassed after 10 rounds with Ouma I don’t know how he could manage to get through 12 with Williams. If Goossen and company reach out to Vanes hopefully Roach will advise his fighter to decline. Yes it would be an excellent opportunity and increased exposure, but at what cost?
Deandre Latimore 20-2 (16 KOs) Jr. Middleweight (154)
Latimore is out long shot as well because he is set to fight Sechew Powell on March 19th. Latimore has the #4 Jr. Middleweight ranking attached to his name and would be considered worthy of the chance against Williams. For any possible chance of him facing Williams he would have to dispose of Powell early and take little punishment. In their first fight Latimore claimed at 7th round TKO victory. It looks like to many things would have to fall into place perfectly in order for him to even consider Williams in May. That fight would be taking place only 7 weeks after the Powell contest. I do think that Latimore has the skills to make things interesting against Williams though. He can box and punch, so his camp could easily set up a plan A and B. I feel the date of May 8th is just too close to make this happen.
Thanks for taking the time to read and I look forward to see all your feed back!
Tags: 30 Responses to “Paul “The Punisher” Williams – Possible opponents”
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Felix Sturm for all the reason stated in the article. He needs to force Pavlik to come to him at this point, and I think bringing the WBA belt back to the states could give him some leverage. It kind of looks like Paavlik is content to stall Williams out right now and see what happens.
i prefer to see him against Felix Sturm.
Really good article here
so over rated!!!! im fed up with hearing this name
For all the dumbasses up here talking about where somebody should fight, know your history! Boxing is a make weight sport not a height sport, we have had very tall fighters in lower weights and nobody complains at all, but PW has to fight at a weight that’s not comfortable for him, because these punk ass welterweights won’t man up! If people complain about cotto fighting at 145 against Pac and said it drained him, do you realize PW last fight he came in at 145?? The problem today is these guys want an easy road to greatness, I’m not giving that to them. Hell look at Maurice Blocker, Thomas Hearns, what if Simon Brown and Sugar Ray said the same thing these punk ass fighters are saying about not fighting a guy because he’s to tall crap. Come to think of it, what about dwight muhammed quai who was 5-6 fighting at light heavy, cruiser and later heavyweight??? Know your history of boxing before you talk garbage!!
Cotto never seems to avoid anyone and he soon could be defending a title at 154. Williams vs Cotto could be a classic, also believe Martinez beat Williams
154 tournament was the best idea yet–should happen in all the “sexy” divisions that way you can’t duck anybody, imagine a ww tournament. anyways PW should move up cause he can’t get a big name to fight him. plenty of comp in da heavier div. you use to hear bout all da Hitman comparisons which unfortunately for PW created big shoes to fill. PW should take note that Hearns fought his last pro fight at light heavy. although in PW defense Hearns had the luxury of the top tier in his div wanting to fight him even as he moved up to middle. anyways a pavlik matchup would be a good fight
Felix Sturm would get wooped by PW , he lost his last fight to Khoren Gevor but was given a gift in Germany. Martirosyan will be the undercard in the Cotto vs Foreman fight from what iv heard in june so that won’t be it plus it’s too early for Martirosyan to face someone like PW so that leaves Cintron
Williams vs. Cintron is a good matchup, similar size and power. If Martinez beats Pavlik, which I think he will, it sets up a big rematch with either guy for the Middleweight title. I don’t see Pac or Mayweather accepting a fight with PW because he’s way too tall and busy..not enough of a draw either for the risk. Maybe a 154 tourney can be put together with Williams, Martinez, Cintron, Spinks, Angulo, and Sturm.
if u can make the weight then your eligible to fight at that weight class.
Williams should fight Cintron at 147. both Cintron and Williams claim to have no problem making 147. If these two want a shot at Mayweather than they should fight at welterweight. If they want to fight Pacquiao, they need to lose.
I was waiting for somebody to make an article about Paul Williams. People keep on saying the PW height and reach are an unfair advantage against welter weights and that he should move up to heavy weight. I say if Tommy Hearns could fight at welter weight so can Paul Williams. I think the man just wants his opportunity to prove he can beat any body at that weight, and I think it’s obvious he’s not scared of any one cause he even moved up to fight the best. It’s time for Pacquiao, Mayweather, and Mosley to step and prove they can do what Sugar Ray Leonard did and the other legends did and take on the ultimate challange.
Paul Williams is allways in great shape, he can recover well from being on the bad end of a beating and come back fighting. He has true championship spirit, no gutter talking, no ducking other fighters, doesn’t claim fake injuries and doesn’t back out of fights. He is an honorable professional and could be a great role model to some of the idiots in the sport claiming to be able to beat everyone past and present. He is a REAL tough guy, not a wanna be.
That overgrown py needs to man up and move up in weight…like two years ago
Wtf is he still doing at light middle?
That would get killed at any rematch with martinez at the same weight as their first fight..
He is getting older and needs to fill out as a man and bulk up that skinny neck of his to be able to take punches and upper cuts
When I first saw him three years ago, I thought he ‘d be destined for cruiser or heavyweight…it’s 2010, what is that overgrown p still doing at super welter?
I really want to see Williams-Martinez II, because the first fight was just plain awesome. Yeah, he could fight other ‘name’ opponents, but for now, I want those two to settle the score.
All of these fights make me want to go to bed. Everyone knows its all about the money and I wouldnt pay to watch any of these fights. Paul might as well fight a warm-up bum and wait for the winner of Pavlik-Martinez
Martines – in many eyes he beat both Cintron and Williams. It shoud be him people are talking about in the middleweight division.
seems like the only big fights he will get are at welter weight. I think it’s kinda lame he wants to fight all the small guys tho it makes it difficult with him throwing all those punches. I think sergio beat him and deserves a rematch and after the first fight I would be more worried about martinez than williams after all if ur quick qith counter ability you have a shot to win on the outside. I want him to fight pavlik tho i think he would beat the ghost dow.
Brillaint article! Makes a change for all the hate articles on this site. A fight with cintron is the best option
Everyone seems like a Margarito fight. I agree but just left him off the list because of his licensing issue.
@ram jam well williams did fight margarito and won. I think williams shouldve stayed at welter just a little bit longer to get a big money fight. Goin up and down in weight classes is very dangerous and would deplenish your physical talent. Its best for williams to just stick in the middleweight division and try to get a big money fight there, maybe pavlik? But I think martinez would beat pavlik setting up a rematch with williams.
He needs to fight Martinez again. Kermit Cintron whines like a little baby and should’ve lost against Martinez. I wouldn’t mind seeing a Paul Williams vs Margarito rematch. I know everyone dislikes Margarito for cheating, but he’s probably the only one who would willingly challenge Williams right now.
Sergio Martinez rematch! He beat up Paul Williams, I think he can do it again. Maybe later against Antonio Margarito?
I think Kahn said he would beat Williams also,
none all seem boring fights …i wanna see rematch with the guy that beat him martinez
paul williams is overated he ain’t got no chin or power he just throws a 1,000 punches and hopes some of them land
Nobody at welterweight wants to fight Paul and who could blame them. It would be hell trying to get inside of that reach. Out of those names I think Cintron would be the best match up for him.
Easy pick. It’s Cintron
the last two opponents! wake up and have your cornflakes man. have you just picked these two names so folk think you know your boxing.
Good article. I think the big name there is Margarito, I wouldn’t mind seeing that fight. I really believe in Paul Williams but think he is yet to be tested against a great fighter. But I’d be happy to see him fight any of the big name welterweights