By Rick Reeno

Moments after HBO announced the November 29th bout between WBO welterweight champ Paul Williams and IBF junior middleweight champion Verno Phillips, BoxingScene.com spoke with manager/trainer George Peterson, who says Paul will not abandon the welterweight division.

Williams wants to accomplish his goal of winning championships at 147, 154 and 160 - and then defending his titles against the best in all three divisions. In his last fight, which took place in September, Williams jumped up by two weight divisions to beat up Andy Kolle inside of one round. He tried, without success, to land a fight with WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik.

"That's what Paul has always said he was going to do. And he's shown that he can do it. He wants to be Henry Armstrong. He wants the titles at 147, 154 and 160," Peterson said.