TalkingBoxing Articles
With a KO over Mitchell, Williams Now a Contender
MON August 21, BRIAN BLAKE - Once upon a time, Sugar Ray Leonard had a promotional company in which he employed a young and eager fighter by the name of Paul Williams. Eventually that company folded in favor of his new venture, a reality television show called “The Contender.”
I’m sure you’ve all seen it, or at least know the premise. Sugar Ray helps the sixteen guys on the show pursue their dreams of becoming future champions. Much like the dream of one Paul ‘The Punisher’ Williams.
As long as the fighters on ‘The Contender’ win their fights they are guaranteed at least one more televised fight. All of a sudden Williams was guaranteed nothing, except for what lay in his own two powerful hands. The two hands that so far haven’t let him down.
Just about two years ago now I sat in the HP Pavilion Arena in San Jose, CA and watched Paul Williams fight. He fought a guy named Javier Valadez. He cut his eye, knocked him down, and then knocked him out in one minute. I covered the fight with my dad and I looked over at him and told him that Paul was going to going to be a champ one day. With his set of skills and Sugar Ray as his promoter, seriously, what was going to hold him back? But all of a sudden he lost his promotion team.
What’s a fighter to do? Just keep winning. That’s exactly what Paul Williams did. Since that fight in San Jose he’s had seven fights with seven consecutive victories. Five of which he won by knockout, with the last two televised by HBO. The kid is well on his way.
This past Saturday night Williams took on the former junior welterweight title holder, Sharmba Mitchell. As Sharmba recently had taken a step up in weight, Williams took a step up in class of opposition.
While Sharmba is on the downside of his career, Williams is in fact a universally recognized top five contender and the 4th round TKO win over Mitchell is great for his resume. After all, it did lead Mayweather towards a welterweight title (Cheap shot, I know).
All politics aside, Williams is a force to be reckoned with. Standing 6 feet, 2 inches tall as a welterweight with a 79-inch reach, he’s big enough to give any fighter in the division a rough night. Many have compared him to the likes of Tommy Hearns, which are pretty big shoes (and shoulders) to fill. Then consider he’s only 25 years old. Get used to hearing the name Paul Williams, even if he has to do it all himself, he’ll be around for a while.
While Sugar Ray is looking to make the next welterweight contender, Paul Williams is looking to make himself the next welterweight champion.
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