By Rick Reeno
Finally, an event on HBO where any (if not all) of three televised fights could easily become fight of the year candidates. In a rare split-feed event, the undercard will be shown live from the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ and the main event will come from the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.
To start off the show from Atlantic City, IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron (27-1, 25 KOs) from Reading, PA will defend his title against Walter Matthysse (26-1, 25 KOs) out of Trelew, Argentina. Two big punchers in a fight that has little to no chance of making it to the final round.
The next bout will be the main event from the AC, but televised as the co-feature on HBO. Arturo Gatti (40-8, 31 KOs) returns for the first time since last year's crushing knockout loss to Carlos Baldomir. He takes on Contender star Alfonso Gomez (16-3-2, 7 KOs) from Whittier, CA.
The main event of the telecast will happen on the West Coast. WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito (34-4, 24 KOs) from Tijuana, Mexico, will meet undefeated Paul Williams (32-0, 24 KOs) of Augusta, GA in a highly anticipated grudge match. Margarito will be tested by Williams, a welterweight freak who stands at 6'2 and has a reach of 82-83 inches.
The staff of BoxingScene.com comes together to voice their opinions, strategies and predictions for the big fights.
Hank Kaplan – Theoretically and based on history, Williams should win easy, but is he for real? We just haven’t seen enough of Williams. There are a lot of important variables in boxing, and the most important is determination. I don’t know if Williams is for real and has that determination to win.
Tim Smith - I wasn't too impressed with Margarito when he fought Clottey. I think Paul Williams has a lot more than Clottey offered that night. Williams by decision.
Michael Katz - Never mind welterweights - How about Anthony Hanshaw to outbox Roy Jones Jr?
No idea who wins Margarito-Williams because I have no idea how good Williams is. If he's as good as he looks against limited opposition, he should be too fast and accurate for the tough guy from Mexico, otherwise Margarito will mop him up. My guess - and it's only a guess - is that Williams is a new star and will win a great struggle by points.
I think Gatti still has enough to beat a contender - even though he's the smaller guy here and will have to squeak out a decision. Cintron should be able to stop Matthysse because I just learned how to spell Matthysse and I'm already putting it down as knowledge I won't need.
Remember where you heard it first - Dewey over Truman.
Dave Sholler - Paul Williams vs. Antonio Margarito may prove to be one of the more interesting battles of 2007. At 5'11, Margarito gives up some size to the 6'1 Williams and will have to deal with the rangy southpaw's persistent body punching. With that said, Margarito may be in for a long evening. He did not look as impressive in his December 2006 bout vs. Joshua Clottey as some let on and at times looked weary. Moreover, the likelihood of Margarito looking past the undefeated Williams is great, with a potential bout with Miguel Cotto leaving dollar signs dancing in his head.
Regardless of what's going on outside the ring, Margarito is definitely more battle-tested than Williams. One must wonder how Williams will respond if Margarito gets inside and pounds him with heavy hands. In the end, if Margarito can neutralize the distance preferred by Williams and tag his opponent with crisp punches, there is no doubt that he can frustrate and possible KO Williams.
Overall, this is a solid match-up at 147lbs. And even though many are touting Margarito as too experienced for Williams, here's one vote of confidence for the young southpaw.
Prediction: Williams by decision.
In other welterweight action on the July 14 HBO card, look for Kermit Cintron to grind out a victory over Walter Matthysse, while Arturo Gatti should get back in the win column in his adopted home of Atlantic City with a gritty and potentially sloppy win over Alfonso Gomez.
Patrick Conner - Margarito-Williams: Antonio Margarito has apparently had a hell of a training camp, and we haven't heard much from Williams. In my opinion Williams just isn't quite ready for the spotlight and the pressure that calling out Margarito has brought, and it will show in the ring. Stylistically Williams could have an advantage if he fought tall, but he generally doesn't, and that lanky body is prime real estate for body work. Throw in a helping of difficulty against the crude Walter Matthysse and I see Margarito breaking him down and overwhelming him by the third or fourth round en route to a stoppage within 7.
Cintron-Matthysse: Kermit has the momentum and talent coming into this fight, but his weakness is clearly pressure, which is just about the only thing Matthysse will bring into the fight. I actually think the Argentinian gives Cintron some problems early on with his swarming style, before his chin and conditioning fail him in the mid-rounds. Cintron KO8.
Gatti-Gomez: Let's be honest. Arturo Gatti should not be fighting anymore. Luckily for him he'll be in with a guy who doesn't have much defense, is easily goaded into a brawl and doesn't have a really big punch. Of course the last factor could prove to be Gatti's ultimate undoing, but Gomez is not anywhere near an upper echelon of opposition. Unless Gatti is ridiculously shot, I like him by convincing decision.
Larry Tornambe - I have Margarito besting Williams in a decision. It took me awhile to be convinced about Margarito, but I believe he's got a bit more of the intangibles over Williams.
Gatti vs. Gomez will be the fight of the night, with Gatti getting a late round TKO win. Cintron will have to really blow it in order to lose to Matthysse. Cintron wins easily.
Amy Green - Williams/Margarito: Margarito winning by KO doesn't seem that likely to me. The worst result in this fight would be Margarito by split decision. I am going to go with Paul Williams to win the biggest fight of his career thus far. If he remains intelligent during this bout, uses his advantages of height, reach, great conditioning and doesn't lose his composure, he will win by decision over Margarito.
Gatti/Gomez: Alfonso Gomez, the Contender season season favorite is reported to have a lot of heart. Across the ring from him will be Arutro Gatti, who has more heart, guts and warrior in him than 20 seasons of Contenders. Gomez will be handed a loss by one of boxing's all time favorites, who returns to the ring with his great friend and former challenger Micky Ward in his corner.
TK Stewart - Margarito vs. Williams - I've watched Paul Williams rise through the ranks since back in the days when he was being promoted by Sugar Ray Leonard and fighting at 160 pounds. I like everything about Williams, especially his hunger and his attitude. Plus, the dude can flat out fight in my opinion. And he does something that few fighters do today - he really goes for it and lets it all hang out. There are those that say you can't knock Antonio Margarito, but I don't see that as the case. In my opinion he has wilted on the vine and wasted much of his career sitting around complaining about people not wanting to fight him. He's always complaining that "Mayweather won't fight me...De La Hoya won't fight me." I'm not much on complainers and that's what Margarito is. Williams is bigger, stronger and faster and he takes a helluva shot. I think Paul Williams is going to roll right over Margarito and knock him out in an upset. And then we can all listen to all the reasons that Mayweather, Hatton and Cotto have for not fighting Paul Williams.
Gatti vs. Gomez - Gatti says he's going to box in this fight, but don't believe it. He's shown in his last several fights that he can't move around up on his toes anymore. Oh sure, he may try to box for a round or two on Saturday night, but after that it'll become a brawl. This will be the fight of the night in my opinion, and I think it will be a great little slugfest filled with all of the drama that Gomez' reality show never had. This is a close, close fight in my opinion because Gatti is shopworn and Gomez does have heart and some ability. However, Gomez is no Mayweather (or even Baldomir for that matter) so I'm going to go with Gatti by stoppage in a Boardwalk-burner.
Cintron vs. Matthysse - You know what? I never thought Kermit Cintron could fight very well. He can punch with the right hand, yes. But he has bad balance and he's more wide open than the Lincoln Tunnel. I'm not even sure he can take much of a shot as evidenced in the Antonio Margarito fight and others. This IBF title Cintron has is a total sham and a paper championship. The Argentine's pressure, punching power and aggressive style is going to bother Cintron who will have a tough time landing cleanly on him. I like Matthysse in this one by stoppage.
James Blears - There's quite a height difference and Margarito might need grappling hooks to reach Williams. This coupled with Williams’ southpaw stance, could present problems for him. It's up to Williams to keep his nerve and box. If he does, he'll win unanimously.
As for Gatti, it's long past time when he should have hung his gloves up. Someone should save him from himself.
Bradley Yeh - I'm going to lean towards Margarito in this fight. I don’t think he’s as technically sound as Williams but I think that he will deprive Williams of the freedom necessary to execute with that smooth polite arrogance that's becoming his trademark.
Jake Donovan - Margarito by mid-rounds TKO. Credit to both for taking the fight, but I'd give Williams a better chance had he not elected to tread water against no-hopers while claiming Margarito was ducking him. We'll find out Saturday if he really wanted the fight, or if Tony simply called his bluff. My play-money is on the latter. P-Will enjoys early success before Margarito takes over and eventually forces a corner stoppage.
Bob Cannobio/CompuBox - Antonio Margarito by unanimous decision.
Jaime Estrada - Because I Know Margarito can stop mots welterweights cold, I have to go with him by Knockout in 10. Williams is good, but never faced a fighter as fierce as Margarito. My heart and money is with Arturo Gatti and Cintron to win.
Johnny Ortiz - I like Margarito by a late knockout. I also like Gatti to beat Gomez.
Dave Wilcox - I know it's the "In" thing to do by claim that nobody will fight Margarito and he is the unappreciated great champion, but I have to tell you that he might have picked the wrong opponent here. I do think Margarito is a fine champion and very tough guy. It is my opinion however that Paul Williams is the next Boxing superstar. He is long and has a nice reach. His power is very good, and he is not afraid to trade shots with opponents. He is a crowd pleaser that could be the answer to everyone's question, "Who will be are poster boy for Boxing after DeLaHoya is gone?"
The fight itself will be very fun to watch. Both guys will land shots. In the end, I think Williams' power and athletic ability will wear down Margarito. I will go against the flow and Take "The Punisher" by late round TKO victory in a very exciting bout. Welcome to the future of Boxing in Paul Williams.
Alphonso Costello - Paul Williams is a freak of nature with an impressive undefeated record. However his 32-0 mark is a bit misleading. He's still a green fighter on a world class level. On talent alone Williams should give Antonio Margarito one tough battle. Yet, in all honesty this is the first major test of Williams' career. If Williams plans on keeping his record unblemished he must lock up his defensive deficiencies. By the same token, Margarito is no defensive wizard, but some well timed punches thrown right up the middle could prove to be Margarito's best weapon. Antonio Margarito takes Paul Williams to Warrior University via TKO.
Arturo Gatti is at the end of the line, but he should have enough to hold off an exciting club fighter with tremendous heart and publicity. Arturo Gatti defeats Alfonso Gomez in a battle of blood and gut warriors.
Kermit Cintron versus Walter Matthysse could have been a main event battle of unbeatens if Antonio Margarito and Paul Williams didn't have other plans. Margarito knocked out Cintron in the spring of 2005, while Williams stopped Matthysse in 2006. Nevertheless, both combatants are expected to put on an exciting display of offensive power.
Exciting while it lasts, Kermit Cintron knocks out Walter Matthysse to retain the tainted IBF welterweight paper title.
Sammy Rozenberg - Margarito by a brutal knockout within ten rounds. Welcome to the big leagues Mr. Williams.
Cliff Rold - Margarito wins by unanimous decision over Williams: Long overlooked, he's been arguably the next best welterweight in the world for five years. It's time he got his chance to be the best, period. Across the ring from him, Williams is likely to present all sorts of athletic challenges early but Margarito has edges in experience and competition that should move him well past Punishing Paul in the second half of the fight. I'm tempted to pick a stoppage, but will go with a decision of a violent decisiveness not seen since Felix Trinidad-David Reid. If I'm right, we all get Margarito-Miguel Cotto this fall in a guaranteed WAR!
Rick Reeno - From the moment this fight was signed, my gut told me that Margarito would win. Before I made a final decision on my prediction, I rewatched Williams' bout with Matthysse. Matthysse, who is physically smaller than Margarito at 5'9 and has a similiar reach, was able to land a lot of clean shots on Williams' chin. Williams took them, but he was also rattled a few times in the fight. Margarito is bigger, more physical and hits a lot harder. Williams has a poor defense and is far from a one-punch knockout artist. I am not convinced with his power, at least not yet. He beats his opponents by wearing them down. I don't see Williams changing his style in the fight. Margarito by knockout.
I may be reaching for the fences but I'm picking Gomez to stop Gatti. As much as I would like to see Gatti win and go on to face Chavez Jr. in November, he is way past his prime and admitted after the Baldomir loss that 147 was too big for him. If Gomez can take Gatti's punches, he will win.
Cintron had better watch himself against Matthysse. Both of them can bang and a possible war of punches may end up stealing the show. Cintron by knockout.