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Found this interview with Williams which has Video in at the end. If you haven't seen this guy, check him out!
Meet Paul “The Punisher” Williams, one of boxing’s hottest prospects. The 6’1 Welterweight sensation talks with FightFan’s Ace Freeman about his last fight, his upcoming bout with Shamba Mitchell, and how Antonio Margarito wants no part of him. Only on FightFan.com!
August 3, 2006
FF: Paul thanks for taking the time to talk to all the fans out there at FightFan.com. You’re 25 years old, and a 6’1 Welterweight who’s 30-0 as a pro with 22 KO’s. Can you describe your style a little bit for the fans out there who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing you fight?
PW: I can’t really describe my style, because I have so many different styles. The big thing with me is that I adapt to my opponent’s style. Whatever my opponent brings, I can change up my style to suit the situation.
FF: Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into the sport of boxing as a child?
PW: I got myself into a little bit of trouble on the school bus and it just so happened the bus driver was the amateur boxing coach. He had asked my mom if I could take up boxing and we’ve been into it ever since.
FF: What was your amateur career like?
PW: I had about 30 or 40 fights. I won most of them and was in major tournaments. At the time I wasn’t in shape like I am now and did it for fun. Now that I’m a pro I take things much more seriously and am always in shape.
FF: Have you always been a fan of the sport, and who were some fighters that you idolized growing up?
PW: I just loved to fight and that’s what got me into it. Being in competition with somebody. I never really had anyone in specific I looked up to. I saw certain fighters and admired what they did, but in terms of being a fan, no sir nothing like that.
FF: How long have you been working with trainer George Peterson and what does he bring to the table for you?
PW: Me and Mr. Peterson have been working together for seven years. Working with him is like a blessing because since day one he’s told me that if I’m serious about it I could be Champion some day. And in the beginning he took me all over to see different styles and had me sparring with many different champions. I was getting in the ring and holding my own and that boosted my confidence. He’s got me to 30 and 0 with 22 KO’s.
FF: In your last fight you averaged over 100 punches thrown per round. That seems to be a trend with you. Can you talk a little bit about how that activity level is so crucial to your game plan?
PW: When I get in there I don’t look to throw that many punches but when I get in a fight I just want to throw back. I want to fight and get the other guy out of there, and when I get hit it gets me mad and I want to hit back. I keep bringing it. I love to fight.
FF: Talk a little bit about your height. At 6’1 you are a very tall welterweight. How do you use that to your advantage, and is 147 pounds a struggle at all for you to make?
PW: No sir, last fight I came in at 145.5 lbs and threw over 1000 punches. So there’s no problem for me with this weight. Mr. Peterson has me using my height and when I add speed and power that’s how I go for the kill.
FF: At first glance you are a very complete package. You are a very big Welterweight, you have great reach, power in both hands, great speed, a solid chin, and you work very well from behind a stiff jab. If you had to critique yourself at this early stage of your career, what is something you need to work on to improve yourself as a fighter?
PW: I don’t want to get hit. I want to work on more head movement. But if I do that my punch rate will drop. Because my defense is my offense, and when I throw that much the other guy’s bound to get his in. But me and Mr. Peterson are just working on continuing to break these guys down. When I’m throwing 100 punches a round the other guy is mostly concerned with getting out of the way and that takes away from his game plan.
FF: Before I ask you about it, I wanted to congratulate you on your recent win over the undefeated Walter Matthysse…
PW: Thank you sir, glad you enjoyed it.
FF: Like yourself, Matthysse was a very highly touted prospect coming into that fight with a great record of 25-0 with 24 KO’s. It’s a really rarity in boxing to see two young hungry prospects actually face off. Can you tell me how that fight materialized?
PW: I figure they wanted someone to shut me up because I keep calling for Antonio Margarito, and people wanted to see if I was the real deal. With Matthysse I knew he was knocking guys out and he had power, but I knew once I started hitting him back things would change.
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Meet Paul “The Punisher” Williams, one of boxing’s hottest prospects. The 6’1 Welterweight sensation talks with FightFan’s Ace Freeman about his last fight, his upcoming bout with Shamba Mitchell, and how Antonio Margarito wants no part of him. Only on FightFan.com!
August 3, 2006
FF: Paul thanks for taking the time to talk to all the fans out there at FightFan.com. You’re 25 years old, and a 6’1 Welterweight who’s 30-0 as a pro with 22 KO’s. Can you describe your style a little bit for the fans out there who haven’t had the pleasure of seeing you fight?
PW: I can’t really describe my style, because I have so many different styles. The big thing with me is that I adapt to my opponent’s style. Whatever my opponent brings, I can change up my style to suit the situation.
FF: Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into the sport of boxing as a child?
PW: I got myself into a little bit of trouble on the school bus and it just so happened the bus driver was the amateur boxing coach. He had asked my mom if I could take up boxing and we’ve been into it ever since.
FF: What was your amateur career like?
PW: I had about 30 or 40 fights. I won most of them and was in major tournaments. At the time I wasn’t in shape like I am now and did it for fun. Now that I’m a pro I take things much more seriously and am always in shape.
FF: Have you always been a fan of the sport, and who were some fighters that you idolized growing up?
PW: I just loved to fight and that’s what got me into it. Being in competition with somebody. I never really had anyone in specific I looked up to. I saw certain fighters and admired what they did, but in terms of being a fan, no sir nothing like that.
FF: How long have you been working with trainer George Peterson and what does he bring to the table for you?
PW: Me and Mr. Peterson have been working together for seven years. Working with him is like a blessing because since day one he’s told me that if I’m serious about it I could be Champion some day. And in the beginning he took me all over to see different styles and had me sparring with many different champions. I was getting in the ring and holding my own and that boosted my confidence. He’s got me to 30 and 0 with 22 KO’s.
FF: In your last fight you averaged over 100 punches thrown per round. That seems to be a trend with you. Can you talk a little bit about how that activity level is so crucial to your game plan?
PW: When I get in there I don’t look to throw that many punches but when I get in a fight I just want to throw back. I want to fight and get the other guy out of there, and when I get hit it gets me mad and I want to hit back. I keep bringing it. I love to fight.
FF: Talk a little bit about your height. At 6’1 you are a very tall welterweight. How do you use that to your advantage, and is 147 pounds a struggle at all for you to make?
PW: No sir, last fight I came in at 145.5 lbs and threw over 1000 punches. So there’s no problem for me with this weight. Mr. Peterson has me using my height and when I add speed and power that’s how I go for the kill.
FF: At first glance you are a very complete package. You are a very big Welterweight, you have great reach, power in both hands, great speed, a solid chin, and you work very well from behind a stiff jab. If you had to critique yourself at this early stage of your career, what is something you need to work on to improve yourself as a fighter?
PW: I don’t want to get hit. I want to work on more head movement. But if I do that my punch rate will drop. Because my defense is my offense, and when I throw that much the other guy’s bound to get his in. But me and Mr. Peterson are just working on continuing to break these guys down. When I’m throwing 100 punches a round the other guy is mostly concerned with getting out of the way and that takes away from his game plan.
FF: Before I ask you about it, I wanted to congratulate you on your recent win over the undefeated Walter Matthysse…
PW: Thank you sir, glad you enjoyed it.
FF: Like yourself, Matthysse was a very highly touted prospect coming into that fight with a great record of 25-0 with 24 KO’s. It’s a really rarity in boxing to see two young hungry prospects actually face off. Can you tell me how that fight materialized?
PW: I figure they wanted someone to shut me up because I keep calling for Antonio Margarito, and people wanted to see if I was the real deal. With Matthysse I knew he was knocking guys out and he had power, but I knew once I started hitting him back things would change.
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