Paul Williams' Promoter: Pacquiao-Margarito a Big Mistake

By Lem Satterfield

Dan Goossen, promoter of Paul Williams (39-1, 27 KOs), says a possible overseas fight between Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito would be a big mistake for the careers of both fighters.

Last Friday, the Nevada State Athletic Commission rejected Margarito's application to obtain a license to box in their state. He was directed to re-apply for his boxing license in state of California.

Last February the former champion from Mexico had his boxing license revoked for a period of one-year by the California State Athletic Commission. Prior to his fight with Shane Mosley on January 24, 2009, inserts containing a plaster-like substance were discovered in his handwraps. The California commission found Margarito liable for the incident. Because of Nevada's decision, Margarito is still unable to box in the United States.

Top Rank CEO Bob Arum, along with Team Pacquiao, are willing to consider an overseas fight against Margarito. The option has been discussed, according to Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz. The exact location of where the fight would take place has never been disclosed. If they make the fight, Goossen predicts a serious backlash for both fighters.

"Let's put it this way, if Bob [Arum] even thought about fighting Pacquiao and Margarito in Mexico, I would think would forever darken Margarito's career and cause Manny Pacquiao problems having to go to fight an unlicensed U.S. fighter -- a fighter who can't get a license in the United States. I think that it goes beyond public relations," Goossen said.

But, Goossen is now an active party in the Pacquiao sweepstakes. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is still the frontrunner to fight Pacquiao on November 13 in Las Vegas, but Mayweather has yet to accept the fight proposal. Pacquiao has agreed to the proposal in principle. Mayweather was given a mid-July deadline to accept the deal before Pacquiao and Arum pursue another option for November. The deadline is set to expire at the end of the week, according to Arum and Koncz.

If the deadline runs out, and the Mayweather fight falls through, Goossen see a fight between Pacquiao and Williams as the only possible alternative. Williams' last five fights have taken place in the middleweight and junior middleweight divisions. He plans to return to the welterweight division for his next fight. With Margarito out of the way, Goossen doesn't see another option for Pacquiao - other than Williams.

"Who else is out there, Miguel Cotto? I'm sure. I mean, Cotto is one fight removed from the one-sided fight that he had with Manny Pacquiao. Eventually, that fight was stopped. Now you can sit there and do your marketing and P.R. penciling in that Cotto does this and that. Bottom line, he's one fight removed from getting his clock cleaned by Manny Pacquiao. Boxing more than ever needs the best to fight the best," said Goossen.

"Listen, Paul is almost 6-foot-3. So I realize that the size difference poses a different threat to Manny Pacquiao. But so did the weight difference that Paul had to endure at 154 and 160 pounds. So, there's no one better, other than Floyd Mayweather, to fight Manny Pacquiao right now than Paul Williams."

Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here.