Boxing Picks: Experts Choose Williams To Defeat Quintana.

Carlos Quintana defends his WBO welterweight belt against the man he just captured it from in convincing fashion, then undefeated Paul Williams this Saturday, June 7 on Showtime Championship Boxing (9 p.m. ET/PT delayed on the west coast).

So who will triumph in the highly anticipated rematch? The experts predict it to be very close.

Of the 40 boxing media writers who participated in a Showtime Prediction Poll, 24 picked Williams to earn his title back while 16 chose Quintana to successfully defend.

Here’s how they see the first of two world title fights as part of a World Championship Doubleheader on SHowtime from Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn.:

Jim Everett, saddoboxing.com

Quintana by Decision

“Although I believe Williams overlooked Quintana the first time he still should have been able to land more punches, Quintana’s southpaw style will continue to give Williams problems which will give him a unanimous decision.”

Robert Morales, Los Angeles Newspaper Group:

Quintana Wins

“Quintana will defend his title because Williams doesn’t seem to understand that Quintana was part of the reason he lost his title in February. Quintana had the perfect game plan but Williams keeps harping on the idea that he simply could not get into his rhythm. He couldn’t, but because of Quintana, not because Williams was simply having an off night.”

Kevin Iole, Yahoo!

Williams By Decision

“Williams will learn from the first fight to make the changes he needs to win. He’ll use his reach and his jab to pile up points and win a decision.”

Darius Ortiz , ESPN.com

Williams By Decision

“Paul Williams knows what Carlos Quintana brings to the table; he’ll adjust accordingly and box his way to a unanimous decision.”

Carlos Arias, O.C. Register

Williams Wins Decision

“I think Paul Williams won’t overlook Quintana this time. Williams will be much more aggressive, apply the pressure and win on points.”

Lyle Fitzsimmons, The Sports Network

Quintana Wins Decision

“I think Quintana’s an underappreciated talent at 147 pounds. Not quite the best in the division, but definitely part of the second tier behind Mayweather and Cotto. I think he’ll be slick enough and tricky enough to work when he wants to and rest when he needs to en route to winning seven or eight rounds.”

Andreas Hale, Fightnews.com

Williams def Quintana Via Unanimous Decision

“Paul Williams made the mistake of looking past Quintana the first time and it showed. A better prepared Williams makes him one of the most dangerous fighters in the Welterweight division. He will finally use his height and reach to keep Quintana at bay while avoiding the right hand that constantly found its home on Williams head.”

Ivan Goldman, Ring Magazine

Quintana Wins by Close Decision

“A tough fight for both of them, but I think Quintana will fight his fight, counterpunching enough to cut down the volume of Williams’ shots and win a close decision.”

Korosh Torkzadeh, Touchgloves.com

Williams over Quintana

“Williams’ raw talent and size will prevail. He won’t be over-looking Quintana this time.”

James Hoover, MyBoxingFans.com

Quintana SD over Williams

“I see a similar fight to the first except I do see a busier and more effective Williams. It will be close, but Quintana sticks and moves his way to the win.”

Bernard Aguinaldo, PA SportsTicker

Williams By Decision

“I think if Williams prepares better for this fight then he did the first one he should win on points. It will be close though.”

Rusty Rubin, RingSports.com

Williams By Decision

“It should be a great fight. I’m a bit surprised that Williams is the favorite, but that said, he’s hard to hit and should with a hard-fought decision.”

Edgar Gonzalez, MyBoxingFans.com

Quintana Split Decision

“Quintana was an underdog last time and remains one now but I have to think most of that is due to the Williams hype machine. Quintana will be able to control the action with his elusive boxing skills, his excellent head movement allows him to set up powerful combinations and his pin point accuracy allows him to land devastating left hooks don’t underestimate the underdog he did it once he will do it again.Now Paul Williams is training for the fight of his life to avenge the only loss of his pro-career. Paul Williams will defiantly come out with sharper skills but at the end it will be Quintana coming out Victorious on Saturday June 7.

Ramon Aranda, 411mania.com

Paul Williams By Decision

“Everyone underestimated Quintana in the first fight and that included Williams. Only two fights removed from a knockout loss to Miguel Cotto, I think Williams and his camp took Quintana lightly but it won’t happen again. Quintana for his part will enter this fight with plenty of confidence and look to get right back into William’s chest. I look for a closely contested fight in which Williams manages to utilize his jab and uppercut better than he did in the first fight. Having lost to Quintana, Williams will be hungry again to prove that he’s among the best at 147-pounds and will be more relaxed in the ring. It should be close on the cards going into the final few rounds but Williams will likely have more in the tank this time around and eek out a split or majority decision win.”

Henry Bedoy, boxingstars.net

Williams Unanimous Decison

“I believe we are going to see the best out of Paul Williams this time around.

He will be more physical, and will come out throwing more punches then before.”

Carlos Guzman, FIGHTBEAT.COM

Carlos Quintana UD over Paul Williams

“It’s hard to hit a moving target. Quintana moves well and can slip most of Williams long punches while getting his shots in on the inside. Expect 12 fast-paced rounds with Quintana getting the nod and even dropping Williams along the way.”

Jason Abelson, The Fight Network

Quintana By Decision

“It seems that the cagey lefty Quintana may have the towering Williams’ number. We’re hearing that Williams never felt comfortable when they met in Ferbruary, that his timing was never right. There’s a reason why; it was Quintana’s gameplan.”

Chris Robinson, www.BoxingHerald.com / www.FightBeat.com

Williams by Decision

“I think Williams will be more focused this time around and find a way to get his belt back.

Bud Barth, Worcester (Mass.) Telegram & Gazette

Quintana W TKO-9

“The first fight convinced everyone else; this one convinces the oddsmakers.”

Peter Palmiere, Boxing Inside TV/KOTV/Ring Sports Magazine

Williams split decision 12 rounds.

“Williams took Quintana too lightly and paid the price. This time, we will see both fighters in over drive in a dramatic fashion. This decision will be very close and controversial.

Ace Freeman, FightFan.com

Williams by decision

“Paul Williams and company have said all the right things regarding the loss in the first fight. Whether or not that translates to him making the necessary adjustments come Saturday remains to be seen. While it’s possible Quintana and his style translates to simply having Williams’ number, I think Paul will up his activity level and win a close and competitive decision.”

Chris Cozzone, Fightnews.com

Williams by Unanimous Decision

Phil Santos, Overhandright.com

Williams by Unanimous Decision

“A Williams-Quintana outcome is more difficult to foresee. My feeling, despite their last meeting, is that Williams comes in with something to prove, like he did against Margarito, and out boxes Quintana in a close fight to regain his title.”

Bill Scherer, Suite101.com

Williams by Unanimous Decision

“Quintana gave the performance of his life in their first fight. Unless Williams is truly dead at the weight, he wins a unanimous decision over Quintana.”

Ed Ludwig, www.braggingrightscorner.com

Williams wins via eight round stoppage

“I expect a lot more action for the Carlos Quintana vs. Paul Williams rematch. I felt that Williams took Quintana lightly coming off his huge win over Antonio Margarito and I don’t see him making the same mistake twice. Quintana deserves his props but in the end a refocused Williams will reclaim the title and his redemption with a convincing eighth round stoppage.”

Ben Thompson, FightHype.com

Quintana by Unanimous Decision

“Unless Williams has found someone to teach him some defense in the four months since their last fight, I don’t see the outcome of the rematch being any different. Throwing punches in bunches is great when you have a stationary target, but Quintana has just enough movement to confuse the volume punching Williams and land the exact same combination he landed over and over and over again back in February. Quintana by unanimous decision as he outslicks Williams down the stretch.”

Percy Crawford, Fighthype.com

Quintana by Unanimous Decision

“I think Paul Williams has one fighting style and one gameplan. He believes he had an off night, but instead of breaking down Quintana’s strengths and weaknesses I believe he thinks he could just throw more punches. Once again Quintana will be too elusive for the defenseless Williams.”

Rich Mancuso, Boxing Digest Magazine

Williams by Split Decision

“Willaims will win a tough split decision. He has proved in the past how to take a punch and can take one.”

Huel Washington, San Francisco Sun-Reporter

Williams Wins

“The last decision was bad. Williams should have been declared the winner in their first outing. He showed a lot of class when he didn’t complain about the judges.”

Jerry Glick, Secondsout.com/Boxing Digest Magazine

Quintana Wins By Unanimous Decision

“I am a firm believer that lightning can strike twice. In their first fight Quintana found the formula to beat Williams by being the aggressor. While boxing history is rife with turn arounds in rematches (see Patterson-Johansson, Lewis-Rahman, Louis-Schmeling) there is no reason to believe that Williams style will be altered enough to compensate for the reason that he lost last time. Quintana will pressure him and win by a close but unanimous decision.”

Andres Antonio Carriedo, TalkingBoxing.com

Quintana UD 12 Williams

“Williams will make a concerted effort to stick behind his jab in order make use of his height and reach advantages. However, his technique has been shoddy in the past and figures to be again in his rematch with Quintana. Look for Quintana to counter punch his way to another unanimous decision victory.”

Buster Paris, TalkingBoxing.com

Williams wins

“This is a tough one to call – it’s Redemption (Williams) vs. Respect (Quintana) – and who wants “it” more. Purely going with the gut on this one – Paul Williams is the winner!”

William Trillo, Pound4Pound.com

Quintana by Late KO

“Throw out the loss to Cotto, it was an aberration. Instead look to “Indio’s” victory over Joel Julio, that was a fight everyone expected him to get bombed out, yet he overcame an early knockdown and beat Julio. Quintana is a slick fighter and he will give Williams the same problems and more this time. Williams is a fighter struggling to find an identity and a weight class. 147 pounds is too much, or should I say too little to ask of Tall Paul and in his weakened state, Quintana will dispatch “The Punisher” before the final bell rings.”

James Stillerman, TalkingBoxing

Williams by Decision

“I believe Paul Williams will get revenge in this fight against Carlos Quintana. The first time around he took Quintana extremely lightly and he won’t make the same mistake again. Williams will use his height advantage and fight more aggressively in the early rounds, something he didn’t do in the first fight, to win a narrow decision over Quintana, who will put up another respectable fight.”