By Rick Reeno

The day was almost finished, everything was quiet and I was contemplating a quick nap - until my phone rang. To my surprise, there was a furious Paul "The Punisher" Williams on the other end of the line. As I quickly found out, Williams was going through his usual routine, checking out the latest and greatest on BoxingScene.com, when suddenly his blood began to boil as he noticed two separate content items that were posted since his last visit.

"They got me hot. Let's address this right now. They calling me out, now I'm answering the calls. I don't really say too much on the internet but now I'm making my comments on the internet and I'm making comments in the ring. I come on to read some good comments and then I see that. I said Ok, let's get them on the chopping block," Williams said.

The first was a headline article penned by Lyle Fitzsimmons, where unbeaten WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto called himself the best welterweight in the division.  (Click To Read)  

"I think I am the best welterweight out there,” said Berto. “I think I have the total package when you combine speed, power, agility and the ability to adjust to any sort of style from the opposition. I’m the first of the new breed of fighter in this weight class and I’m eager to make big fights with the rest of the big names out there.”

Fitzsimmons touched on some comments that were made by Berto's promoter, Lou DiBella, following last weekend's decision win over Steve Forbes. DiBella said that he wasn't yet ready to put Berto in against the likes of Antonio Margarito, Paul Williams or Miguel Cotto. Speaking with Fitzsimmons, Berto gave his take on DiBella's comments and said that he is without question on the same level as fighters like Williams, Margarito and Cotto.

“I’m on their level, there’s no question, but he’s my promoter and he’s looking out for my best interests in terms of the business end of things,” Williams said. “We’re going to take our time and when things are ready to go, I’ll get those guys and get my due. It’ll happen. I know it.”

Williams tells BoxingScene that Berto made a serious violation by calling himself the best welterweight. He admits that Berto caught him off-guard with the comments. And according to Williams, any welterweight champion who calls himself the best at the weight - is calling for a fight with "The Punisher." Williams doesn't want Berto to wait. He wants Berto to put up his title for a unification bout on November 29, the set date for Williams' next appearance on HBO.

"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."

Williams didn't stop there. That was only the first item. The second item was a news brief by Mark Vester, where Vincent Scolpino, manager of IBF welterweight champ Joshua Clottey, contacted BoxingScene to issue a challenge. He wanted Williams to know that Clottey was ready and willing to fight him on November 29. (Click To Read)

"Tell Williams to tell his promoter we want to get it on for November 29th. We will put our title up and take his on that night. All he has to do is to call our promoter Bob Arum and make it happen," Scolpino said.

One phone call will indeed make the fight happen, says Williams. He says if Clottey really wants the fight, all he has to do is make one phone to make it official.

"I will slap Clottey around. I know my fans would love to see it.  They can contact my peoples and it's a done deal. Now they won't be able to get any sleep. They shouldn’t have said that and now its too late to take it back. They want to fight me - lets make it happen! There is no going back now. All they have to do is contact my people and it's a done deal. I don't want no excuses when I slap Clottey around. I may knock him back to Ghana," Williams said.

In his last two fights, Williams quickly dispatched of Carlos Quintana and middleweight Andy Kolle, both by knockout in the first. Williams predicts quick knockout wins over both Berto and Clottey. So quick that he's willing to fight both of them on the same night, one by one.

"I'll fight Berto and Clottey on the 29th. I might make it so quick they may as well put them in the ring together and I'll knock them both of them out one by one. Both of them can get it. They can put both of them in the ring at the same time. All they have to do is contact my people, contact Al Haymon, and we can get it for the 29th of November," Williams said.

"They all say they want me. They say that stuff to look good on the internet, but really they don't want none. I'm right here. This is for the guys with heart who can we get up with everybody. We fought everyone that we said we would fight. We'll fight anyone. We don't fight handpicked guys, no cabdrivers. I get killers in the ring and make them look like nobodies."

The recent jump in weight to re-test the waters at middleweight was primarily done to send a message. He wanted the big names at 154 and 160, to know that he was serious about fighting in multiple weight divisions.

Trainer George Peterson has been teaching him to sit on his punches, increasing their lethal nature in the process.  Despite his newfound success with blowing opponents out in the first-round, Williams would rather let them hang on for few and slowly punish them as the fight progresses.

“I don't like to knock them out. I like beat on them for a while. But, you have people saying Paul Williams don't have no power and that I can't knock guys out, so now I sit down on my punches and knock them out. They already know it’s going to a tough fight and they are going to get beat up in the ring. You know they are crying now that I'm knocking them all out,” Williams said.

Williams was so enraged by Berto and Clottey, that even Peterson was surprised.

“In ten-years, I’ve never seen him like this,” Peterson said. “He’s really hot right now.”

Other possible November opponents.

“[IBF junior middleweight champion] Verno Phillips is almost out the door. I'll help go into retirement.  Michael Jennings is my mandatory so he definitely got it coming to him. He saw what happened to Andy Kolle. His head is on the chopping block too. If he wants some, he better know I’m not taking any prisoners.,” Williams said.

No chance of retirement in the near future.

“When I get all the belts at 147, all the belts at 154 and all the belts at 160 - then I'll retire. The longer they make me wait, I'll be right here and I'll beat on them even more once I get them in the ring for making me wait,” William said. “Hopefully I can get any of those guys so you can see some fireworks on the 29th.”