By Mark Vester
If Bernard Hopkins is serious about a fight with Paul Williams, he will have to move down to 165-pounds to do it. George Peterson, trainer and manager of Williams, says the fight can happen at 165 but has no shot of taking place at Hopkins' requested weight of 170-pounds. Peterson says Williams' walking weight, right now, is around 150-pounds.
"We're really overdoing it consenting to 165 pounds," Peterson told the Augusta Chronicle. "For him to get there he just has to come down five pounds. But we have to come up 16 pounds. But we're willing to meet him there."
Peterson is not confident about the rescheduling of the postponed bout with WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik. It was announced several days ago that Pavlik's staph infection had become worse of his left hand and their October 3 bout would have to be postponed. Williams' promoter Dan Goossen recently told BoxingScene.com's Robert Morales that he planned to bring Williams back in October, with or without Pavlik.
"We feel good about it that there's no way that this guy (Pavlik) can do anything with Paul Williams under no circumstances," said Peterson. "And they have realized that and they are coming out of the back door. That's all there is. As a result of that, I don't think it will happen."
Goossen says no matter how much weight Williams is willing to put on, or take off, the champions at 147, 154 and 160 are not running to step up.
"Paul has really established himself in really a short period of time and he has become the most feared fighter in the world," Goossen said. "That's really something that's frustrating to the other fighters. As you can see, the big fights will be made. They may be tough to be made and a lot of obstacles to be made because they're very reluctant to get in the ring with him. But on the other hand, it really hasn't stopped us from achieving what our dreams are."
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