By Eric Thomas: Paul Williams (38-1, 27 KO’s) is available to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. if Floyd is looking for a big named opponent. According to the Los Angeles Times, Williams’ promoter Dan Goosen says this about Mayweather: “If we were asked [by Mayweather], I’d pick Paul [Williams] up, and we’d be there as fast as we could get there to sign the contract.” Well, that’s good news.

If Mayweather wants a star opponent with a big enough name to steal the spotlight from the March 13th fight between World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and challenger Joshua Clottey, then Williams is the best man for that job.

You can’t say that Mayweather would get more attention if he fights light welterweights Paulie Malignaggi or Nate Campbell, who are smaller than Mayweather. Williams, 28, has beaten the following three fighters in his last three bouts: Vero Phillips, Winky Wright and Sergio Martinez, all good names. Mayweather can’t go wrong with a fighter with a resume like that, can he?

It’s doubtful that the 6’1″ Williams will be even considered for a second as an opponent for Mayweather, despite the fact that Williams has fought most of his 10-year pro career as a welterweight until late 2008. Williams likes to throw a lot of punches per round, averaging between 80 to 100 in most fights, and he would be more than a handful for Mayweather to beat. Williams would have a five inch height advantage over the 5’8″ Mayweather. That wouldn’t be such a big deal, because Williams often likes to fight in close range where he focuses more on volume punching rather than trying to use his height and reach to his advantage in any real way.

However, Williams does have problems with fighters that move a lot, losing a 12 round decision to Carlos Quintana in February 2008, and struggling recently with Sergio Martinez in a close 12 round decision in December. Still, Williams would be a big step up from Campbell and Malignaggi, and it would be a tough fight for Mayweather no doubt. But it would clearly steal the thunder away from the Pacquiao-Clottey fight that takes place on the same night on March 13th, if Mayweather cares at all about accomplishing that.