Articles of 2009
Paul Williams-Sergio Martinez Is A Go For Dec. 5
The Sweet Science has learned that the transcontinental game of musical chairs set in motion on October 23, when a doctor's note got Kelly Pavlik excused from his December 5 date with Paul Williams, is near resolution. It now appears that Williams will face Sergio Martinez on Dec. 5. Atlantic City, the original site for Pavlik-Williams, has re-emerged as the leading contender to host the bout, although there remains the possibility that it could wind up at a Las Vegas venue.
Once Pavlik was off the card, the task of preserving the HBO date had fallen upon Williams' promoter Dan Goossen. Goossen had hoped to pair a Williams fight with another involving heavyweight Cris Arreola, which, since Arreola and the promoter are California-based, would have made total sense had he been able to secure a west coast venue. When no California sites stepped up to the plate, Goossen was forced to turn his attention elsewhere.
What had loomed a stumbling block to the matchup has been overcome in that Martinez' WBC junior middle title will not be at stake. Although Williams (37-1) could presumably have made 154, he had been preparing for a 160-pound fight against Pavlik. (His last fight, a 12-round decision over Winky Wright, had also been at middleweight.)
Although Martinez (44-1-2) is a natural 154-pounder, he has fought at middleweight in the past, though never against an opponent with Williams' pedigree, but the Argentine-born, Spain-based Martinez had been training for an over-the-weight bout on the Dec. 12 Juan Diaz-Paulie Malignaggi card — in part at the behest of HBO, who wanted him to be available should Pavlik fall out.
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Avila Perspective, Chap. 330: Matchroom in New York plus the Latest on Canelo-Crawford
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
Vito Mielnicki Jr Whitewashes Kamil Gardzielik Before the Home Folks in Newark
-
Featured Articles9 hours ago
Results and Recaps from New York Where Taylor Edged Serrano Once Again
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Catching Up with Clay Moyle Who Talks About His Massive Collection of Boxing Books
-
Featured Articles5 days ago
From a Sympathetic Figure to a Pariah: The Travails of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr
-
Featured Articles3 weeks ago
More Medals for Hawaii’s Patricio Family at the USA Boxing Summer Festival
-
Featured Articles7 days ago
Catterall vs Eubank Ends Prematurely; Catterall Wins a Technical Decision
-
Featured Articles4 weeks ago
Richardson Hitchins Batters and Stops George Kambosos at Madison Square Garden