By Rick Reeno

After reading my recent piece with WBO welterweight champion Paul Williams, promoter Lou DiBella contacted BoxingScene.com to discuss Williams' furious comments regarding WBC champ Andre Berto. Williams took offense to a recent article on BoxingScene, where Berto called himself the best welterweight in the division. (Click Here To Read)

In the opinion of Williams, who considers himself the best at 147, Berto made a serious violation by making the same claim. Following Berto's win over Steve Forbes last weekend, DiBella told media members that he wasn't ready to put Berto in the ring with the likes of Williams and Antonio Margarito.

"I can't believe Berto said that," William said. "I think when DiBella said what he said, it hurt his pride and he said what he said. I like Andre Berto and we cool and stuff but the green belt will good in my trophy case. Berto can get it too. He's in shape, he can come on the 29th and get it. I don't want any excuses. He didn't get hurt in that Forbes fight. I know he's in good shape, nothing happened to him in that fight. I know he's fast, but his speed will run into a brick wall.”

"He called himself the best, that's calling me out. He can't take it back now. After DiBella said he didn’t want to put him in the ring with me, Berto should of let it die like that. Now I want that WBC belt. Now that he said he's the best - it's on. He called me out by saying he's the best. Now he's on the chopping block and I have to burn him up. I still can't believe that Berto made that comment on the internet. I don't write checks that I can't cash. Now his head is on the chopping block."

DiBella tells BoxingScene that he respects Williams as a serious talent and a champion, but he doesn't think Williams should be fighting at 147-pounds. He says the size difference between Berto, listed at 5'8, and Williams, closer to 6'2 - is physically too much. He believes that Williams is frustrated with so many fighters avoiding him and is taking his anger out on the wrong person.
 
"He should relax and chill out. My guy says he's the best. What is he supposed to think? I think he's one of the best fighters out there, but he's a seven-foot welterweight and Berto is a small welterweight. Williams is a freak of nature. He should look in the mirror, he's not a welterweight. He just fought at middleweight and he looked pretty devastating. His best weight is probably 154-pounds, he should start looking at those guys if he can't find a big fight at 147, DiBella said.

"I'm not comfortable with putting in a fighter, who's had a very short career, with a much more experienced fighter, who by the way Berto would have to jump on a foot stool to fight eye to eye. And that's my decision, not Berto's. He would fight King Kong if I asked him to. That's the kind of fighter he is and that's why he will become a great champion."

"Berto was not calling him out. Any young undefeated kid with Berto's talent who doesn't believe he's the best, should not be in the game. Paul should take a look at some of his own interviews when he was a younger fighter, where he used to call himself the best welterweight in the world. I think he's angry that he beat Margarito and nobody is mentioning his name in these big money fights. I actually don’t blame him, but he shouldn't take it out on the wrong people."

"Berto is a guy being brought along in the appropriate way. He doesn't go around and disrespect other fighters. He knows that he's still a work in progress. Paul should be more worried that his name is not brought up with all of these big fights, and that's the reason he is frustrated and led to the anger at Berto. I have nothing but respect for him as a champion."

Berto was not the only target of Williams' fury. A lot of comments were also directed to IBF champion Joshua Clottey, because Clottey's manager Vincent Scolpino recently came on BoxingScene to call Williams out for a fight on November 29 on HBO.

DiBella says a fight between Williams and Clottey makes a lot of sense for both guys, and since the two fighters are calling each other out, they might as well settle the issue in the ring in November.

"Williams and Clottey makes a lot of sense because nobody is running to fight either of them. Paul is physical freak of nature, Clottey is a very dangerous guy who doesn't bring any money to the table. Frankly I think it's a very good fight and it's a unification. I'm not their promoter and I'm not their matchmaker, but it happens to be a pretty good fight," DiBella said.

One issue that may come up with Williams-Clottey, is the personal issue between Clottey's promoter Bob Arum and Williams' manager Al Haymon. After negotiations fell apart for a fight between Williams and middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, Arum vowed to never deal with Haymon again. DiBella doesn't believe the bad blood between Arum and Haymon would stop the fight.

"I don't think that will get in the way. It's not like Clottey's dance card is full and it's not like Arum is running to put him in with Cotto or Margarito," DiBella said.

For the record, DiBella said he was misquoted in the Berto-Forbes post-fight. If the opportunity came about, he would entertain the possibility of matching Berto against Shane Mosley or Miguel Cotto, who are both much closer to Berto in terms of size.

"I never said I wouldn’t put Berto in the ring with Miguel Cotto or Shane Mosley. If those fights ever materialized, we would take those fights for the opportunity," DiBella said.