WOW, Wiliams is A warrior, still upbeat despite bad news!

[Ray*]

Well i pray he walks again because the reality doesnt really hit you until you go out in the real world.

[vcvc]

sounds like he tried to avoid an on coming car that was probably trying to pull an over take.

Manager George Peterson has confirmed a report by Augusta, Georgia’s WRDW-TV that southpaw former two-time welterweight titleholder Paul Williams was involved in a motorcycle accident on Sunday near Atlanta that has rendered the fighter paralyzed from the waist down.

Peterson corroborated the initial report that Williams' crash occurred on Sunday morning. Peterson said Williams is hospitalized with surgery scheduled for Wednesday that is intended to stabilize the healthy upper half of the fighter's spine by putting a protective wall around it.

"That's to protect the remainder of his spinal cord, and that will enable him to use his upper body movements," said Peterson. "But from the waist down, though, his movement is totally gone. He won't be able to walk again."

Peterson told ******.com that his assessment of Williams' condition was made by a doctor.

"We're going through this healing process, and we don't care whether or not he will ever box again," said Peterson. "Our immediate concerns are seeing Paul heal to the point where he can be moble. Other than that, Paul is in an excellent frame of mind and he's in excellent condition, mentally."

In a bout that is being promoted by Williams' promoter, Dan Goossen, in association with Golden Boy Promotions' CEO Richard Schaefer and President Oscar De La Hoya, Williams (41-2, 27 KOs) was scheduled to challenge WBC junior middleweight beltholder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KOs) on Sept. 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on a pay per view network to be determined.

"I heard about it yesterday, and I have been informed, and I understand that it's pretty serious," said Schaefer, who was notified by Williams' advisor, Al Haymon. "Right now, we wish Paul the best. It sounds very, very serious. I hope tha he is going to be okay."

Peterson said that he was in the Washington, D.C. area on Sunday, where Williams traditionally trains, when he was first notified about the boxer's accident.

"I heard about it yesterday morning. We had been in D.C. training, and so that's where I was," said Peterson. "Paul's brother was getting married at about 5 p.m., and Paul was down there for the wedding."

Peterson conveyed Williams' discription of the accident to ******.com.

"Paul said he was riding his bike, and he and this car were going around a curb. Paul had the outside lane, and the car had the inside lane," said Peterson.

"But the car, Paul noticed, couldn't make the turn without coming over into his lane. So Paul tried to give him room that he would need so that he could avoid from getting hit. That's when he noticed an on-coming car."

Peterson said Williams swerved to elude the opposing vehicle.

"Paul had the choice of hitting the oncoming car head-on, or to go across the highway and down the embankment and down the roadway about a hundred feet," said Peterson.

"Paul landed on his back, and that severed his spinal cord. As a result of that, he was paralyzed from the waist down."

Peterso said that Wednesday's operation is intended to allow Williams to "use his upperbody, such as his arms, his hands and his neck and so forth," adding, "surgery is to be done on Wednesday."

[S H A R K B O Y]

Damn. I am torn hearing about this news.

[MRBOOMER]

This sucks:/

I'm amazed he's so upbeat tho I know I wouldn't be but at least he has friends and family and his money to fall back on I wish him the best of luck.

[-Antonio-]

If Paul Williams is as tough in life as he is in the ring the man will walk again.

[komodo]

This is some sad ****, hope he pulls through and regains some form of normality in his life. My heart goes out to his family and friends it must be an extremely tough time for them.

[SUPREME.]

This is sickening news.

I pray to God this man will walk again.

[Mr. Hipster]

How is this not upbeat?

Paul still believes. You know, Paul is all about coming back from adversity," said Peterson. "So Paul still believes that he will be back. He's not convinced that this is the end for him. Not at all."

[Curtiz]

He'll Box let alone Walk again, you dont get to be a professional boxer at his level without having something special about you.

**** news though nonetheless !

Prayers go out to him !!!

[Danny Gunz]

Man that story is nasty he is lucky to have survived that