Punisher Williams Wants Margarito, Now
By Michael Woods November 22nd, 2006Top prospect Paul Williams wants to punish Antonio Margarito
But what about Paul Williams? He’s the WBO’s No. 1 ranked 147-pounder, and the WBO champ Margarito requested and was granted an optional defense (against Joshua Clottey on Dec. 2) rather than meeting The Punisher.
Williams, age 25, last fought on the Mayweather/Baldomir undercard, and downed New Zealander Santos Pakau (TKO6).
Williams (32-0, 24 KOs) is somewhat of a freak of nature, with crazy reach and height. He hails from Aiken, South Carolina, and feels he is more than ready to face down Margarito (33-4, 24 KOs), a 28-year-old native of Tijuana, Mexico.
“I’ve worked very hard for this opportunity and I plan on breaking all the PunchStat records against him (Margarito),� said Williams, who is managed and trained by George Peterson, and advised by Alan Haymon. “He is my main target for punishment and I want him and his belt real bad. Margarito says he will fight anyone in the welterweight division, yet he hasn’t proven to be so accommodating, especially with me. I just hope he doesn’t blow it against Clottey.�
Williams’ promoter, Dan Goossen, says that his top prospect is ready to dethrone Margarito early next year.
“Paul Williams has gotten better and better with each and every fight,� Goossen observed. “His last few fights he has showed patience, strength, a solid chin and most importantly, poise in wearing down very resilient opponents in Walter Matthysse, Sharmba Mitchell, and Pakau; methodically beating them down, round after round. He really is a punisher.
“Paul is ready to take on anyone, but he has specifically targeted Margarito. Once the fans start seeing his exciting style and constant throwing of punches, they too will become rabid Paul Williams’ fans.�
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:50 pm
Hmm…Floyd Mayweather is ducking Margarito, who is ducking Paul Williams.
Interesting triangle. Why don’t the three of them just fight each other?
November 22nd, 2006 at 4:56 pm
Paul Williams will destroy Antonio Margarito.
November 22nd, 2006 at 5:43 pm
it will happen. you can bet margarito wont turn down 8 mil to fight williams or anyone for that matter.
before floyd fans get their undies in a bunch, paul williams just emerged as a relevant challenger. its not hes been running for a year and a half as floyd has. not like he turned down a huge contract twice like floyd has with margarito.
November 22nd, 2006 at 5:54 pm
Mendoza the Jew…..good point and I completely agree. I also agree with Paulie, the three of them just need to fight each other.
I think either Margarito or Williams would give PBF all he can handle. Both are big, full-fledged welters who throw a lot of punches and apply constant pressure.
Since PBF already has a date with ODH, Margarito needs to fight Williams and the winners can face each other. But the scenario makes far too much sense to actually happen.
November 22nd, 2006 at 6:02 pm
Paul Williams just arrived on the scene and is fresh. Margarito is genuine and is being ducked just the fact that his name comes out the mouths of greats like Oscar and Floyd Not to mention the three wise men of boxing jim, larry, and emanual lets you know he is being ducked. Although I like Paul he has got to earn his stripes. It would be a good fight. That he could win is in question. Its to early for this to even be a subject. Besides this is a risk as this fight would benfit margarito more then williams. Williams would have to beat another big opponent to be recognized and if margarito wins because of the size and record of his opponent would only benfit is claim to being the most ducked man in boxing
November 22nd, 2006 at 6:25 pm
Paul Williams will not destroy Antonio Margarito, I’d bet the house on that. But it would be a damn good fight. I saw them spar in LA. It was the best free fight I ever saw. It only lasted a few rounds.
November 22nd, 2006 at 6:29 pm
From what I understand, Williams turned down the money offered to him to fight Margarito. My guess is that he thought a purse bid would benefit him. I get the feeling he’ll get about the same amount of money.
Margarito-Williams should be a pretty decent fight. I favor Margarito by late round KO. Williams’ defense is lacking.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:59 pm
I doubt anyone will fight Paul Williams right now at 147. Paul Williams should move up to 154 and forget about Margarito and the rest of the 147 weight class. What Paul Williams should do is move up and make a name for himself. Fight on his own timetable. Paul Williams has the talent to do it so why not. This is what makes Floyd Mayweather Jr. great besides talent is that he fights on his timetable. Margarito moved up to 147 and couldn’t beat Santos. Margarito belongs at 147 and Paul Williams doesn’t. Paul Williams should be thinking about bigger names cause he won’t get nothing for fighting Margarito.
November 22nd, 2006 at 11:47 pm
Paul Williams vs Antonio Margarito is a fight I want to see happen and given enough time it will.
Williams has the style to overcome a more powerful puncher in Margarito, but Margarito has been around long enough to compensate for Williams’ volume punching and has the ability to keep the pressure on the taller Williams. I haven’t seen Williams truly tested yet. He is undoubtedly talented, but Margarito has the style and power to take him down. It’s hard to call a favorite on a fight like this. If it goes the distance, Williams can pull it out. Margarito is feared for good reason, he hits like a truck and will not stop under any circumstances in getting inside, so it makes for a very interesting fight no matter who you prefer. This is exactly what boxing needs right now, that huge ? mark of who is going to win, that keeps asses glued to seats, and people interested in real fights.
-Mr. Osborne
November 23rd, 2006 at 4:35 am
If Williams doesn’t freeze and fights intelligently using that freakishly long reach and doesn’t waste punches he could pull it off on points (Being the most likely route) or perhaps a lte stoppage. Just keep margarito eating long jabs and softening him up throughout the fight. margarito has been beaten a few times on points (A long time ago maybe) so that shows it can be done though it wouldn’t be easy and on a closing note who has Margarito really fought I know Williams hasn’t really fought anyone of real note either but he is not being hailed as the man everyone is ducking or the most dangerous fighter alive as some would have us believe. There are alot of unanswered questions about both guys in particular margarito
November 23rd, 2006 at 5:35 pm
So Paul Williams is a swarmer is he!!?
He should really change styles to become more of a boxer-puncher. That way, he can use his height and reach advantages without compensating his power. Of course, I could be wrong…
But given that Margarito is a slugger, he should be competitive with Williams, since the old rule is that slugger beats swarmer.
November 23rd, 2006 at 9:16 pm
Williams vs. Margarito would be really interesting. Margarito is one of the most underrated fighters in boxing and no one wants to fight him, but i think this will prove a big challenge for margarito.
Neither of them could be underestimated because paul williams is a monster and margarito is still a vicious fighter wanting to prove something which makes him hungry even though he has a belt
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:01 pm
Paul Williams is just Mayweathers bodyguard at this point.
November 24th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Mararito/Williams both are interesting fighters…but you all need to stop saying Margarito is being ducked….He should have ducked from those punches that has him with 4 losses on his record…It has been already proven that he can be beat…The ? is, can he prove that Paul Williams can be beatin…I don’t think so…On the night of the fight Im going to get tipsy off a nice Margarito mixed drink and celebrate his 5th loss if clottey doesn’t get lucky and knock his most ducked but out…..cbeezy!!!
November 24th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
Paul Williams had a chance to fight Margarito in next week’s SHOWTIME card. He instead turned it down, insisting that he wasn’t going to fight him “for co-feature money on Showtime.” Buried in the midst of “everyone’s ducking me” was the fact that Williams called him out after Winky turned down $4 million to fight Margarito in October. Translation: Williams wanted something closer to that $4 million than to the actual going rate for a Showtime co-feature.
Steve Collins claimed that he wanted to fight Roy, but that Roy was ducking. The part that Stevie always left out was that he wanted $20 million for the fight.
Same logic applies here. Williams wants Margarito, but he wants top dollar and will keep fighting shot, tap-and-drop bums until he gets the fight - at which point, he’ll probably price himself out.
November 25th, 2006 at 1:27 am
margarito will beat williams, williams is good but he has wins against smaller less resiliant opponents, margarito is tough as nails in a freezer(watch him spar with J M rubio, a huge middleweight) and he keeps on coming, i saw him actually knock a guys ear off on espn,,, but theres only one way to find out and thats to see it so
ding ding guys
November 26th, 2006 at 12:26 am
Margarito needs to earn some stripes of his own. How many great fighters has he beaten? Zero. Kermit Cintron is not on the level of a Floyd Mayweather or Sugar Shane Mosley or Oscar De La Hoya. Margarito has no credentials. He will get those dream fights he wants in late ‘07 and ‘08 and he will get destroyed and in about five years, he will be completely forgotten by the boxing world. He’s no Julio Cesar Chavez.
November 26th, 2006 at 10:19 am
This fight need to happen stop the bullsh@t talking about, margrito the most duck fighter, he is looking for a payday. Be great, fight paul. its about the fan. Then get the winner of PBF vs ODLH. mendoza the jew and edinchicago are PBF haters. stop playing with the fans go watch WWE
November 26th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Williams reminds me a lot of Jermaine Taylor: a little green and in need of seasoning. A fight with Margarito probably would be a give and take war with one of them — who know which? — emerging by a close and possibly disputed decision. Regardless, Williams needs to take the plunge to see where he stands and to earn that valuable experience that only top-notch competition can provide.
November 26th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
no knows yet if paul williams has a chin either, historically freakishly tall skinny fighters have bad chins look at vernon forrest and tommy hearns at welterweight, i do know that margarito can take a punch and i give him the edge in toughness , paul would win some round for sure and if he stays away from him he could possibly win a decision, but i think margarito would get to him in the 8th round and start breaking him down around then and wi a close decision or late stoppage , who knows paul williams might even lose an ear in the process
November 29th, 2006 at 5:26 pm
Margarito can show plenty, when he fights Clottey. If he beats Clottey convincingly then he will have a rightful claim to a big payday. I really want to see him fight Zab Judah but I don’t know if it would happen. That would be entertaining if the real Judah shows up to fight.
November 29th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
Williams’ height, reach, and power and unpredictable southapw style will be too much for Margarito to handle. Williams by KO in the middle rounds.