Paul Williams-Winky Wright is ON for April

[HattonTheHammer]

Winkys been off the radar for so long he's kind of fallen out of the scene.

That's where his "better than thou" attitude took him.

Not too interested in this, but does not seem like a good fight for Williams to take..really not much reward and Winky isnt the kind of fighter to pull in lots of ppv's

I hope WWs inactivity and rust will lose it for him. PW is sitting high and losing to an old bitter winky is not going to help his career..fighting WW does not help anyones career..

fighting winky will give williams much more worldwide attention than fighting verno phillips!!

I agree its a lose lose in terms of PW`s career progression as he`s fighting an awkward opponent who not many believe should give him problems but indeed will do.

But if he does manage to come out of it with a "W" to his record then it shoots PW right up the list of top middleweights and guarantees him a couple of big paydays ahead!

[bzkfn]

Personally I don't see how anyone could give paul Williams the win here based on his previous performances. Sure, winky has time and a long lay off against him, but seriously - look at the styles.

Paul Williams has all these attributes but when has his reach ever meant anything? Paul, today, fights exactly like JT (a much harder hitter) but with higher volume. Paul drops his lead hand all fight (JT), throws loopy wide punches (JT), flicks his jab (JT) and has a tendency to hit the ropes when pressured (JT).

JT with all his power couldn't break Winkys shell, i dont see pauls slaps doing much either. Paul gets hit WAY too much for him to be picked in this fight IMO, many jabs will land by winky. Winky will have had to have gotten very old over his layoff.

I think you underestimate the ability of Williams here. Winky's layoff will cause him an issue. I see him being rusty in the early going, and his workrate being kinda low. Paul is likely to outland him and outwork him in the early going, and I see him keeping up a high enough workrate to wrack up the points leave Winky to push on in the latter rounds with it being too little too late. I just don't think you can have such a long layoff and go in with a young, active fighter who throws so many punches per round.

[kingfrnk]

oh yea. i cant wait.

paul by UD but i wont count out winky, hes still a very good boxer

[ClubberLang]

Personally I don't see how anyone could give paul Williams the win here based on his previous performances. Sure, winky has time and a long lay off against him, but seriously - look at the styles.

Paul Williams has all these attributes but when has his reach ever meant anything? Paul, today, fights exactly like JT (a much harder hitter) but with higher volume. Paul drops his lead hand all fight (JT), throws loopy wide punches (JT), flicks his jab (JT) and has a tendency to hit the ropes when pressured (JT).

JT with all his power couldn't break Winkys shell, i dont see pauls slaps doing much either. Paul gets hit WAY too much for him to be picked in this fight IMO, many jabs will land by winky. Winky will have had to have gotten very old over his layoff.

Actually, Taylor broke Winky's shell quite a bit, especially when they fought in the center of the ring. Winky's face was pretty swollen after the fight. Hell, even Sam Soliman touched up Winky quite a bit in their bout. He was already starting to slip a bit even before the layoff.

One thing to keep in mind about Williams is the way he commits to body work. That is one area he will be able to score regularly on Winky and wear him down. I see a points win for Williams at this stage.

[amat]

Personally I don't see how anyone could give paul Williams the win here based on his previous performances. Sure, winky has time and a long lay off against him, but seriously - look at the styles.

Paul Williams has all these attributes but when has his reach ever meant anything? Paul, today, fights exactly like JT (a much harder hitter) but with higher volume. Paul drops his lead hand all fight (JT), throws loopy wide punches (JT), flicks his jab (JT) and has a tendency to hit the ropes when pressured (JT).

JT with all his power couldn't break Winkys shell, i dont see pauls slaps doing much either. Paul gets hit WAY too much for him to be picked in this fight IMO, many jabs will land by winky. Winky will have had to have gotten very old over his layoff.

Actually, Taylor broke Winky's shell quite a bit, especially when they fought in the center of the ring. Winky's face was pretty swollen after the fight. Hell, even Sam Soliman touched up Winky quite a bit in their bout. He was already starting to slip a bit even before the layoff.

One thing to keep in mind about Williams is the way he commits to body work. That is one area he will be able to score regularly on Winky and wear him down. I see a points win for Williams at this stage.

JT barely broke through at all he landed probably 20 clean punches that whole fight it's just that most were deflected. The only time JT had any success in that fight was when Winky would get flatfooted and stop moving forward behind his jab. IMO he beat Taylor fairly clearly if not obviously but whatever.

Against Soliman Soliman was valliant but he landed nothing all he did was throw punches which turned Winky into more of a counterpuncher then he usually is.

I think Intoccabile is just pointing out all those flaws that Williams as and how they relate to Jermain Taylor which isn't all that bad of a deal for Paul as it sounds imo. He's still a very good fighter but Winky is a great fighter, a great fighter who at his best or near his best would beat Paul Williams. I just worry about the layoff and Paul is peaking.

[rjj tszyu]

Williams takes this one now. Winkys too old IMO. A few years ago like when he dismantled Tito then I'd have probably swung in winky's favour.

[Wadeb_21]

Anyone know where this fight is taking place? I was hoping since Winky is from St Pete Florida the fight might be in Tampa, if so I'm there.

[OumaFan]

Dan Rafael on ESPN said this was all but set, but not set, which is a bit strange since boxingscene said it was set. I assume its just details of the contract that have to be hammered out.

April 11 or April 18, no venue yet I guess.

[ICB]

Personally I don't see how anyone could give paul Williams the win here based on his previous performances. Sure, winky has time and a long lay off against him, but seriously - look at the styles.

Paul Williams has all these attributes but when has his reach ever meant anything? Paul, today, fights exactly like JT (a much harder hitter) but with higher volume. Paul drops his lead hand all fight (JT), throws loopy wide punches (JT), flicks his jab (JT) and has a tendency to hit the ropes when pressured (JT).

JT with all his power couldn't break Winkys shell, i dont see pauls slaps doing much either. Paul gets hit WAY too much for him to be picked in this fight IMO, many jabs will land by winky. Winky will have had to have gotten very old over his layoff.

Actually, Taylor broke Winky's shell quite a bit, especially when they fought in the center of the ring. Winky's face was pretty swollen after the fight. Hell, even Sam Soliman touched up Winky quite a bit in their bout. He was already starting to slip a bit even before the layoff.

One thing to keep in mind about Williams is the way he commits to body work. That is one area he will be able to score regularly on Winky and wear him down. I see a points win for Williams at this stage.

I didn't see Jermain Taylor land much solid punches against Winky Wright, although i do agree he broke through the guard successfully quite a few times. I don't think Paul Williams would have that same kind of success though.

Paul Williams should go to the body he was hitting Vernon Phillips around the side of the ribs, very well and Vernon Phillips was at times holding his hands high in a similar way to Winky Wright.

Obviously nowhere near as good as Winky Wright, but i think body shots will be the key here. And lastly as for Sam Soliman did he virtually land 1 solid hard punch all night against Winky Wright ?

Because all i see was Sam Soliman throwing punches like a windmill, missing most of his punches and when he did land his punches were soft because they were arm punches, i thought Winky Wright dealt with Sam Soliman quite comfortably, although he lost a few rounds when he done virtually nothing in the round, and let the busier guy steal the rounds.

The problem is here im not sure who i should root for i think Paul Williams winning is better for boxing, because he has alot of fights ahead of him where as Winky Wright doesn't. But i've always mostly rooted for Winky Wright against every opponent he's fought, and Winky Wright is one of my favorite modern fighters. And i would love to see him get a big win considering he had to fight all over the world alot in his early career.

[JT Rock]

. He's still a very good fighter but Winky is a great fighter, a great fighter who at his best or near his best would beat Paul Williams. I just worry about the layoff and Paul is peaking.

I dont think we can say that at this stage just yet... We have seen the best of Winky but Paul has a long way to go, whether its for the good or bad

[intoccabile]

Personally I don't see how anyone could give paul Williams the win here based on his previous performances. Sure, winky has time and a long lay off against him, but seriously - look at the styles.

Paul Williams has all these attributes but when has his reach ever meant anything? Paul, today, fights exactly like JT (a much harder hitter) but with higher volume. Paul drops his lead hand all fight (JT), throws loopy wide punches (JT), flicks his jab (JT) and has a tendency to hit the ropes when pressured (JT).

JT with all his power couldn't break Winkys shell, i dont see pauls slaps doing much either. Paul gets hit WAY too much for him to be picked in this fight IMO, many jabs will land by winky. Winky will have had to have gotten very old over his layoff.

Actually, Taylor broke Winky's shell quite a bit, especially when they fought in the center of the ring. Winky's face was pretty swollen after the fight. Hell, even Sam Soliman touched up Winky quite a bit in their bout. He was already starting to slip a bit even before the layoff.

One thing to keep in mind about Williams is the way he commits to body work. That is one area he will be able to score regularly on Winky and wear him down. I see a points win for Williams at this stage.

Taylor barely broke anything. You should watch more Winky fights.
Since when is winkys face NOT swollen after a fight? Sam Soliman swelled his face up too as did Quertey. That's what happens when your own gloves are hit into your face for 12 rounds.

[killersheep]

I have to side with Williams on this one, regardless if he lands anything clean or not, the judges are going to see how active he is and he will look like he's winning clean punches or not. Wright has a great defense, but his
downfall here is that no way does he hurt Williams, nor will his presumable low output make it look like he's getting anything offensive done. Therefore, assuming that Winky can't hurt Williams from a judges perspective he should cruise to a victory.

[amat]

Carlos Quintana didn't hurt Paul Williams once in their fight if I remember correctly but he was landing clean punch after clean punch and that won him the fight. He was a southpaw and he didn't outwork Paul Williams either he was slick from the outside and then just timed him over the top time and time again with the left hand and then would get away.

Wright has the best jab Williams has ever seen and likely the best he will ever see, how he will deal with that holding his hands so low is yet to be seen. I'm a fan of Paul Williams I have liked him pretty much since he got any notoriety but how good Winky actually is and not just on defense should not be udnerestimated.

[killersheep]

Carlos Quintana didn't hurt Paul Williams once in their fight if I remember correctly but he was landing clean punch after clean punch and that won him the fight. He was a southpaw and he didn't outwork Paul Williams either he was slick from the outside and then just timed him over the top time and time again with the left hand and then would get away.

Wright has the best jab Williams has ever seen and likely the best he will ever see, how he will deal with that holding his hands so low is yet to be seen. I'm a fan of Paul Williams I have liked him pretty much since he got any notoriety but how good Winky actually is and not just on defense should not be udnerestimated.

The problem with Winky's jab in this fight is the ridiculous reach advantage Williams holds and Winky's lack of foot movement. I have nothing but respect for Wright, but i think it's most definately an uphill battle for him.

[JohnnyKickAss]

Williams-Wright almost finalized!

Sources have confirmed that a bout between interim WBO light middleweight champion Paul ‘The Punisher’ Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) and former unified light middleweight champion Ronald ‘Winky’ Wright (51-4-1, 25 KOs) is close to being finalized for April 11th. The agreed upon weight for the fight would be 160 pounds so Williams’ title will not be on the line. Site for the fight is to be determined with HBO likely to broadcast the bout.


source: fightnews.com