Boxing News Boxing News
Tonight at the Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, CA, WBO Welterweight Champion Paul Williams keeps busy in a scheduled ten round non-title battle of the southpaws against middleweight Andy Kolle and undefeated heavyweight hopeful Chris Arreola looks to stay on track for a title shot by meeting Israel Carlos Garcia, also over ten rounds.
Williams, 34-1 (25), of Augusta, GA, was carefully groomed for seven years leading up to his WBO title shot against reigning champion Antonio Margarito last July and “The Punisher” didn’t disappoint, posting a tough UD over the battle hardened Mexican to annex the belt.
But it all went pear-shaped in a first defense against Carlos Quintana in February as Williams lost by points to the power-punching Puerto Rican challenger. The lanky Georgian got his revenge however, destroying Quintana in a single round just four months later to regain the WBO crown.
Facing Williams tonight at the Soboba Casino is 26 year old Minnesota based middleweight prospect Andy Kolle, 17-1 (12), who’s only loss came in 2006 when fighting current WBO NABO Super Middle titlist Andre Ward.
Despite jumping up two weight classes for this evening’s bout, the towering Williams is stiller taller than his opponent and it should be interesting to see if the naturally heavier Kolle can parlay that advantage to offset Williams’ sizable edge in talent.
Coming off a third round DQ win over previously undefeated prospect Chazz Witherspoon, machine of destruction Chris Arreola, 24-0 (21), meets 38 year old Israel Carlos “King Kong” Garcia, 19-1 (11), in what may be one of Arreola’s final preparatory bouts before challenging for a major belt.
Garcia is coming off nine straight victories since dropping a unanimous decision to Taurus Sykes in 2001 but has also had layoffs of three and two years during that span and two of those victories were close majority decisions against novices.
Arreola represents by far the biggest challenge of Garcia’s career and the New Yorker would do well to finish this bout on his feet against his more experienced opponent.
