On Williams/Lara the first thing I noticed...

[BennyST]

On Williams/Lara the first thing I noticed.....Was that Williams was not 'flat' like some said or not trained properly and didn't take Lara seriously etc etc. From someone who has watched all his fights since Mitchell or so but never been his fan (keen observer and boxing fan rather: just like I watch Pac or Mayweather, Cotto or Haye) and as such, I can honestly say he looked as sharp as I've ever seen him and more pumped up and ready to show a major comeback than ever.

Everyone just has to understand that any other opponent, apart from Lara or someone very similar, and Williams would have looked a million bucks against 'em. Lara had trained greater for this fight though than any other! He has more skill than Williams, more speed, more experience from an amateur POV and knew just how to fight him and what to do.

This win for Lara had everything to do with his skill and gameplan and nothing to do with Williams being suddenly shot, scared, not caring blah blah blah.

It is funny though how every fighter today that gets knocked out is all of a sudden SHOT! Out of the blue, just shot. Like that.

Doesn't hold up over history.

[B.U.R.N.E.R]

In a way I agree. ut to hear Paul say post fight that he got lazy is never a good sign.

[Russian Crushin]

Yea he looked the same as always

He should stay away from lefties because his "laziness" is gonna get him brutally KO'd again

[Njord777]

I agree to a point. Paul did look quite normal in terms of his athleticism, energy, and focus. I can't say he lost that fight because of his KO to Martinez; well, not entirely.

See, that's the only thing I disagree with- unfortunatley I don't think Lara is the only guy out there with the talent to do that to the Punished. The reason I think we can blame Sergio for this is, honestly, he made a glaring exclamation point on the sentence others had been repeating for awhile; that Paul's defense is severly lacking, he really only has the ability to keep coming forward and throwing, and his height is almost a disadvantage because he doesn't use it.

Martinez laid out a gameplan. Paul, during the build up to this fight insisted him and his trainer weren't going to change a thing; and that's true. He's showing he's a one-trick pony, at least with this guy in his corner, and that he has no plan B, or C - A is what he has and he'll come, like he said, ready to fight a tough, full 12 doing exactly what he's always done.

The difference is, in the past, lesser fighters or those without the authorotative confidence of knowing exactly what to do to beat the Punished, would let Paul get off first, walk them down, pressure them. That's the only reason his fights haven't all looked like the Lara beating.

Paul "The Punished" Williams gave me many entertaining fights and for that I respect him. He's was humble, had a great attitude in the ring and work ethic, but unfortunatley his loyalty has him keeping a trainer and style that is a failure, has been proven lacking, and I think- at this point- has already caused his downfall.

R.I.P. Paul "the Punisher" Williams. I hope you surprise me and learn some new tactics or we'll always see him as the tall, lanky guy who went to sleep with his eyes open against Maravilla, and then got his ass spanked for a few more fights before hanging 'em up.

So, yeah, he looked like he always did- I agree- painfully so, but he didn't succeed like he once had because it's really all he brings to the table.