Paul Williams back July 9

[MMASUX]

This is a horrible main event. First, HBO turns down Zbik as an opponent for Martinez and then they turn down Ishida as an opponent for Martinez. Now, Zbik is fighting Chavez Jr. and Williams is fighting Ishidal...on HBO!

Williams should have a tune-up, but tune-ups for a guy who most recently was KO'd don't belong on HBO. They belong on ESPN or off cable. Talk about favoritism. If anything the boxer taking all the tough challenges, should get the tune-up on the premium cable network, not the guy loser.

I don't think it's a "horrible" main event, after all it's not PPV, however i am suprised that Chavez jr's fight is on BAD and not on some Top Rank Latin Fury #76 PPV. How that guy gets all these PPV's is beyond me, who pays to watch him fight?

[Rantcatrat]

This is a horrible main event. First, HBO turns down Zbik as an opponent for Martinez and then they turn down Ishida as an opponent for Martinez. Now, Zbik is fighting Chavez Jr. and Williams is fighting Ishidal...on HBO!

Williams should have a tune-up, but tune-ups for a guy who most recently was KO'd don't belong on HBO. They belong on ESPN or off cable. Talk about favoritism. If anything the boxer taking all the tough challenges, should get the tune-up on the premium cable network, not the guy loser.

I don't think it's a "horrible" main event, after all it's not PPV, however i am suprised that Chavez jr's fight is on BAD and not on some Top Rank Latin Fury #76 PPV. How that guy gets all these PPV's is beyond me, who pays to watch him fight?

Horrible is an exageration, but I don't believe this is HBO-worthy unless any Paul Williams fight is HBO-worthy.

[Hulk]

I would like to see that fine upstanding young man of Japanese heritage beat Paul Williams. Then get a shot at Martinez. It would be a cinderella story like Carlos Baldomir had a few years back !

[Mar]

ishida is a nice easy come back fight. Ask quintana what's gonna happen.

[Master]

I hope Williams come back, he has entertained and taken difficult fights. Hope he gets his rewards.

[Ant Live]

Good fight for Paul. Hope he wins then go out and fight Vanes (something). That way, if he wins, he can be rank #1 across the board for a title shot.

[Rantcatrat]

I'm not going to state I'm not excited about seeing Paul Williams back in action because I am. I didn't mean to sound too anti-Paul before. I am, and was, a big fan of his. I just believe that HBO should use its resources to make great fights and that this is NOT a great fight. It's a weak fight at best. It belongs on espn or as an off-tv undercard.

Does everyone know that Paul Williams turned down Pawel Wolak, Deandre Latimore, and Sergiy Dzinziruk as opponents? One thing for sure, after his KO loss to Sergio, he definitely isn't "the most feared man on the planet" anymore. Not when you turn down Pawel Wolak and Deandre Latimore.

[JazMerkin]

This would be cool as a co-event on the undercard but as a main event it's pretty bad unless they paid absolute peanuts for it.

[Ant Live]

I'm not going to state I'm not excited about seeing Paul Williams back in action because I am. I didn't mean to sound too anti-Paul before. I am, and was, a big fan of his. I just believe that HBO should use its resources to make great fights and that this is NOT a great fight. It's a weak fight at best. It belongs on espn or as an off-tv undercard.

Does everyone know that Paul Williams turned down Pawel Wolak, Deandre Latimore, and Sergiy Dzinziruk as opponents? One thing for sure, after his KO loss to Sergio, he definitely isn't "the most feared man on the planet" anymore. Not when you turn down Pawel Wolak and Deandre Latimore.

Wow. I didn't know that. But out of the 3 opponents you name, Dzinziruk is the only opponent worth the risk. He's a champion and fought like a champion against Martinez. But, I guess Paul and his team didn't want to chance a career loss. The other two, I will favor Paul winning. The crazy thing is, if Paul is really asking for a 3rd fight against Martinez, why would he turn down anyone else?

BTW, IMO, this is a good fight for Paul Williams. Dude just beat a fighter in Kirkland in which was proclaimed as being a top contender and treat to any of the champions at 154. So if Paul can defeat him, his ranking will raise if not his stock. And then maybe one more fight before considering one of the champion. My vote will be Vanes (something).

[J_Undisputed]

Would be nice to see Ishida drop the Punisher. Williams got way too comfortable being able to diet to fight smaller guys with his bigger frame. I never bought that most feared fighter business... he had power and was busy, but was fighting the wrong fight for a while now and won on punch output. I think he needed a better trainer when he looked gassed edging out Margacheato... and still does.
The first Martinez fight, a lot of people thought he lost. He was getting bested before Cintron jumped out of the ring... and then he got blasted out by Martinez. I want to see Williams in with hungry fighters that pose a threat. I want to seem him a fight for his life, not a return back to square one, where hes outsizing and out swinging opponents... and people are running for their life.
I don't think Martinez owes him anything at this point. If he beat Martinez convincingly or stopped him in the first fight. Yeah sure, its one a piece and we need to know who's better. Martinez knocking Paul down in the first fight opened a lot of peoples eyes. The second fight did even more. Martinez going up in weight and beating a guy in Pavlik, that Williams couldn't eventually come to terms with... said even more. It all made Martinez look like a guy with desire that needed a stage... and Williams, a guy who was given a stage regardless of his desire.

[Spicoli]

I'm just suprised at how the general feel is this is just a formality in Williams reclaiming status. We're not talking a close hard fought loss....we're talking a definitive flat ou face first detonation of a fighter, kod in as dramatic a fashion as you'll see. Really off that I don't think ge needs to be on the air at first at all. Williams is not a newby but being thrust back into spotlight can do a number mentally. You don't get a chance to comeback from these often. Dude don't need to be babied but bring him back on some undercard, feed him a gloved steak of an opponent and work off the kinks. Bouncing back right at top billing not only is undeserved but more importantly imo is unwise.

[Rantcatrat]

HBO saw the light: Sources: HBO withdraws its approval of Paul Williams-Nobuhiro Ishida fight - ESPN

[No Contest]

I'm not going to state I'm not excited about seeing Paul Williams back in action because I am. I didn't mean to sound too anti-Paul before. I am, and was, a big fan of his. I just believe that HBO should use its resources to make great fights and that this is NOT a great fight. It's a weak fight at best. It belongs on espn or as an off-tv undercard.

Does everyone know that Paul Williams turned down Pawel Wolak, Deandre Latimore, and Sergiy Dzinziruk as opponents? One thing for sure, after his KO loss to Sergio, he definitely isn't "the most feared man on the planet" anymore. Not when you turn down Pawel Wolak and Deandre Latimore.

Lol, it's because of the money..... you make it seem like he was ducking them because he was scared of them or something. Yeah he ducked them to fight Cintron, and Martinez...lol.