Punisher Vs. Killer Fight Ends In Thud

CARSON-A small but boisterous crowd was edging toward the end of their seats as Paul “The Punisher” Williams and Kermit “The Killer” Cintron amped up the punch output after a rather subdued start to end abruptly in a technical decision when the Puerto Rican fell out of the ring on Saturday.

What can anyone say?

Williams (39-1, 27 KOs) won the technical decision after the fight ended in the middle of the fourth round at Home Depot Center in a non title fight before more than 2,700 people. The Goossen-Tutor and Lou DiBella promotions ended prematurely and literally with a thud.

Cintron (32-3-1, 28 KOs) and Williams opened up the fight very hesitant in a probing manner with plenty of feints, jabs, and circling like two hungry lions. The few blows landed could be counted on one hand.

The second round was more of the same until Cintron blasted Williams with a right hand off his noggin. Still, though it was the best punch of the round, not many blows were landed by either boxer.

Williams was a little more aggressive in the third and Cintron was happy with his defense and ability to slip punches and move out of danger. It was a round that saw Cintron smile as he walked back to the corner when it ended. It might have been a costly mistake because of his preference for defense than offense toward the end of the three minutes.

With little warning the fight broke out in the fourth as both fighters began trading the big bombs. Each fighter connected and each fighter continued. The crowd was instantly animated and the expected explosion of punches had finally arrived.

“He hit me with a little shot and I hit him with a little shot,” said Williams about the exchange of blows in the fourth. “

Then the two tangled up with Williams hitting the floor and Cintron tripping toward the ropes. Out her went on to the tables were the California State Athletic Commission officials were sitting. Then, strangely, he continued to fall down though I could see one official hold Cintron still. Down he went all of the way down to the floor where he supposedly cracked his head.

“We got tangled and I saw him go out of the ring,” Williams said. “I know he wanted to fight and I wanted to fight. I don’t want to see a fighter get hurt like that unless I hurt him with a punch.”

According to California rules, any fight that exceeds three rounds is official and goes to the score cards. Judge Jerry Cantu scored it 40-36 for Cintron, and James Jen Kin 40-36 for Williams and Fritz Werner 39-37 for Williams.

After the fight was called and the decision rendered in favor of Williams, a press conference was held. Dan Goossen, president of Goossen-Tutor, hinted the he was not in favor of a rematch and had plans.

Lou DiBella, who handles Cintron and William’s last opponent Sergio Martinez who was sitting right where the Puerto Rican fighter fell, argued that his fighter deserved a rematch and that the California rules dictating that a fight can end in a technical decision after three rounds, not four like the ABC rules, were ridiculous.

“Everything instantly heated up in that fourth round,” said Williams who seemed to relish the action. “The only time I’ve seen something like that (where I guy fell out of the ring) was with Bernard Hopkins and Robert Allen.”

When asked if he would grant a rematch?

“If they want to say let’s do it again I’m all in,” Williams declared.

Other bouts

Martin Honorio lost his USBA junior lightweight title against Dominican Republic’s Argenis Mendez (16-1, 9 KOs) a slick counterpunching moving target after 12 rounds of activity. The judges scored it a majority decision 114-114, 116-112 twice for Argenis.

“I never found him,” said Honorio (28-5-1, 14 KOs) who felt the fight was close but did not disagree with the judges. “He complicated me a lot. It was a difficult style.”

Stan Martyniouk (9-0) survived a first round knock down from a Brian Ramirez (5-3) counter left uppercut in the first round to win a split decision victory after six rounds. Martyniouk fights out of Sacramento. Ramirez in Southern California.

Fresno’s Michael Ruiz Jr. (2-0) dropped Cudahay’s Jose Pacheco (2-2) twice in the second round for a technical knockout. A right jab-left cross floored Pacheco who beat the count. Then a left cross dropped him again and the referee stopped the fight at 1:37 of the round.

Virginia’s Jeremiah Wiggins (8-0-1) out slugged Mexico’s Juan Diaz (9-10) in an entertaining six round junior middleweight shootout. Both attacked the body non stop in a crowd pleasing fight. Both received applause for their effort. Wiggins got the unanimous decision win.

Mike Dallas Jr. (14-0-1, 5 KOs) overwhelmed Montana’s Daniel Gonzalez (9-29-2) for a round and a half forcing referee David Denkin to stop the fight at 1:37 of the second round of a junior welterweight bout.