By Mark Vester
WBO welterweight champion Paul Williams surprised a lot of people when he recently made the leap from 147 to 160 and knocked out middleweight contender Andy Kolle in one-round. Williams took the fight to show the fans, and other potential opponents, that he wants to fight all of the big names from 147 to 160 - and even 168.
Williams told Ernest Gabion of BoxingScene.com that he plans to go back to 147 to make a defense of his WBO title and wants to clean up the welterweight division by fighting a rematch with Antonio Margarito, holder of the WBA title. Williams won a unanimous decision over Margarito last year. Williams returns to the ring on November 29 on HBO.
"We're going back to 147. I want to clean up 47. They are saying that Margarito is the man at 47, so hopefully I can get my fans and the networks to push him out so I can get a fight with him. After November 29th when I defend my belt, I'll probably go to 54. Try to clear up 54, the go back down 147, then go back up to 60. We're going to jump through all the weight classes," Williams said.
He wants to capture titles at 154 and 160, and then defend all three titles simultaneously. There were serious negotiations several months ago to stage a fight between Williams and WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. At one point both sides thought a deal would be reached, but it fell apart. Bob Arum, Pavlik's promoter, claimed that Williams' camp priced themselves out. Williams and his team don't believe that Pavlik really wanted the fight and says the performance against Kolle shows the reason why.
"I want to try to hold the belts in all the weight classes. I thought we had Pavlik for the fight that's coming up, but Pavlik pulled out. Now you see why he pulled out," Williams said.
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