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By James Slater
http://www.e a s tsideboxing.com/news.php?p=29941&more=1
Last seen struggling mightily against Cuba’s Erislandi Lara, eventually picking up a 12-round majority verdict that was later referred to as one of the worst decisions of the year, former 147 and 154-pound ruler Paul Williams is looking at a return to action in January of next year - so reports Lem Satterfield of ******.com.
According to the news piece, “The Punisher” will likely fight on Showtime, in January, against either Carlos Molina or Cornelius “K-9” Bundrage. The lanky 30-year-old southpaw will fight again at 154-pounds then, light-middle probably being his optimum weight now (no more talk of making welterweight again hopefully).
Williams improved to 40-2(27) with the “gift” decision over Lara back in July, and he has had a good, long rest since that fight; one that saw him take a lot of head shots. Before that fight, Williams was sensationally KO’d in the 2nd-round by middleweight king Sergio Martinez. As a result of both bad nights at the office we have no real idea how much the likeable and hard working warrior from Georgia has left.
Mexico’s Molina, 19-4-2(6) is no hard hitter, but he is tough, durable (never been stopped) and hungry. Coming off an upset points win over former Williams foe Kermit Cintron, who he defeated the night Williams scraped past Lara, Molina has been craving a big fight ever since. Can the 28-year-old cope with the close to a hundred punches a round Williams is capable of throwing? Will this fight prove to be Molina’s coming out party or Williams’ “I’m back” statement?
As for Detroit’s Bundrage, 31-4(18), the IBF 154-pound champ is 38 now and he has been largely inactive as of late - with just one fight since his winning of the IBF belt with an upset over Cory Spinks in August of last year. Back in June, “K-9” out-pointed Sechew Powell over 12-rounds to retain his belt. Should the former “Contender” who is now trained by Emanuel Steward get the Williams fight, “The Punisher” would be coming straight back into a title fight, which would no doubt appeal to Showtime.
Bundrage has not lost since 2008, when he was out-pointed by Grady Brewer, and he has not been stopped since Joel Julio TKO’d him in the 8th the year before that. Annoyed that he has been unable to secure a big fight/pay day, Bundrage will be hoping he gets the call to take on Williams. For my money, this would be the trickiest fight of the two for the shop-worn-looking Williams.
Neither Molina nor Bundrage are southpaws. “The Punisher” has had enough of fighting fellow lefthanders for the time being!
According to the news piece, “The Punisher” will likely fight on Showtime, in January, against either Carlos Molina or Cornelius “K-9” Bundrage. The lanky 30-year-old southpaw will fight again at 154-pounds then, light-middle probably being his optimum weight now (no more talk of making welterweight again hopefully).
Williams improved to 40-2(27) with the “gift” decision over Lara back in July, and he has had a good, long rest since that fight; one that saw him take a lot of head shots. Before that fight, Williams was sensationally KO’d in the 2nd-round by middleweight king Sergio Martinez. As a result of both bad nights at the office we have no real idea how much the likeable and hard working warrior from Georgia has left.
Mexico’s Molina, 19-4-2(6) is no hard hitter, but he is tough, durable (never been stopped) and hungry. Coming off an upset points win over former Williams foe Kermit Cintron, who he defeated the night Williams scraped past Lara, Molina has been craving a big fight ever since. Can the 28-year-old cope with the close to a hundred punches a round Williams is capable of throwing? Will this fight prove to be Molina’s coming out party or Williams’ “I’m back” statement?
As for Detroit’s Bundrage, 31-4(18), the IBF 154-pound champ is 38 now and he has been largely inactive as of late - with just one fight since his winning of the IBF belt with an upset over Cory Spinks in August of last year. Back in June, “K-9” out-pointed Sechew Powell over 12-rounds to retain his belt. Should the former “Contender” who is now trained by Emanuel Steward get the Williams fight, “The Punisher” would be coming straight back into a title fight, which would no doubt appeal to Showtime.
Bundrage has not lost since 2008, when he was out-pointed by Grady Brewer, and he has not been stopped since Joel Julio TKO’d him in the 8th the year before that. Annoyed that he has been unable to secure a big fight/pay day, Bundrage will be hoping he gets the call to take on Williams. For my money, this would be the trickiest fight of the two for the shop-worn-looking Williams.
Neither Molina nor Bundrage are southpaws. “The Punisher” has had enough of fighting fellow lefthanders for the time being!
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