Paul Williams took a majority decision over Kermit Cintron last night in a fight that ended under less than perfect circumstances.
Cintron fell through the ropes and onto a ringside table after the pair clinched in the fourth round, and was deemed unfit to continue the fight. As per the California rules, the bout was scored by the judges and Williams got the decision.
Despite the strange ending though, Williams and his team are still gunning for big money fights against the best the welterweight division has to offer.
Speaking to gathered press after the fight last night, Wiliams’ promoter Dan Goosen said:
?We certainly wanted Paul to shine and it looked like he was just getting into gear there in the fourth round. We can do it again if they want to or Paul can go on and fight Pacquiao or Mayweather. We are ready to move to welterweight and take on either fighter.?
Williams’ performance against Cintron last night isn’t going to help his cause. While it wasn’t necessarily either terrible or all his own fault, a bizarre ending like that one isn’t going to win him any new fans.
A better idea than going after either Pacquiao or Mayweather just now might be to take the rematch against Cintron and beat him convincingly. Similarly there are other decent welterweights that could be challenged and that might make a stronger case for Williams. Fighters such as Andre Berto, Antonio Margarito or even Josh Clottey if Williams could finish him might have an impact on popular opinion.
Williams himself is still open to fighting anyone across the three divisions he plies his trade. In a post fight interview the once defeated Williams said:
?Right now, the top of the list is Mayweather. If I can?t get Mayweather, I want Pacquiao. If I can?t get Pacquiao, then I?d love to get Martinez. If he wants the fight, all he has to do is call me out and it?s a done deal.?
One of the biggest reasons not that many top fighters are keen to take Williams on is simply because he isn’t a big draw or a big name. Floyd Mayweather for example makes over $20 million per fight, Williams makes around $2 million per fight. High risk and very low reward for the always careful and money conscious Mayweather. Manny Pacquiao is in the same situation, not to mention would be taking on a fighter with a full 8 inch height advantage, which is a less than appealing night’s work for the most ambitious fighter.
Billy Roberts, Pittsburgh: “Are Mayweather and Pacquiao just ducking Williams and pretending he doesn’t exist, I’ve never heard either one of them even mention him before?”
I would imagine that their respective people have told them not to entertain tall Paul’s challenges. If they say they wont fight him because he isn’t a big enough name, they are accused of ducking. If they say they could beat Williams or that they will fight him anytime, then the talk for a fight between them gets louder.
