Pavlik-Williams fight talks--your opinion on this one?

Question

Since Mora did not materialized, There is a possible fight in September of 08 with Pavlik-Williams fight

Answer 1

Thumbs up to Woody, I too believe Williams's chin would get seriously tested against Pavlik.  I gotta believe if Pavlik could KO Jermain Taylor he could KO Paul Williams as well.  On paper Williams looks like a big underdog if he jumps the two weight classes to take on Pavlik.  I think Kelly would stop him inside the distance, Williams would have to work around that thudding jab of Pavlik, and I just don't see that happening no matter how active Williams is.

Answer 2

pavlik is much to strong for williams his skills are far more superior and at the same time he's a tad tougher than williams. this fight which i can't see happening could ruin williams career if he's beaten to bad. williams needs a lot more work to be on the level as pavlic and his handlers would be crazy to test him this soon against a fighter like pavlic

Answer 3

Interesting fight, but one that I think would be suicidal for Paul Williams. I think moving up two divisions to fight Kelly Pavlik right away would be too hasty. I've seen Williams rocked a few times in previous bouts and I'm almost sure he'll get rocked against Pavlik, a true middleweight.

I like Williams, but I still see him a little "green"... just a littlle bit. Jermain Taylor, a natural middleweight, who I thought was "green" also couldn't handle Pavlik in two meetings. I think Williams could actually outbox Pavlik, but I have a feeling that he wouldn't do it enough and would not survive all 12 rounds.

Answer 4

I agree with Woody. September is way too soon to move up weight. I think we need to let Williams move up when he's a little older, when the weight comes naturally. When you force yourself to gain that much weight in such a short amount of time, you won't be fighting your best. Roy Jones did it to fight Ruiz, but Ruiz was the crappiest heavyweight in the world at the time, and Jones was never the same after that fight either. I want to see Williams domintate the welterweights before he starts hopping divisions, Pavlik is the best middleweight on the planet right now. I have said it before and I'll say it again, Williams has never fought anyone taller than himself before, and although he may have the longer reach, it would just be too overwhelming. I also agree that Williams is still green, he hasn't reached his full potential yet, nor has he learned all the ins and outs of boxing, or else he would not have lost the first Quintana fight. I want to see fight a few more SERIOUS champions at welterweight, namely Cotto and Margarito(again) and maybe Vernon Forrest at Jr. Middle. Once he fully blooms as a fighter, I think he will be a serious threat to the stationary Pavlik. His bobbing and weaving his head movement, his speed, and his especially high workrate will make it hard for the stationary Pavlik.

Answer 5

I suppose it would depend on which Williams turns up, he has shown he can be a class act if he has his mind on the game but if he turns up in the same mindset as the first Quintana fight then Pavlik would destroy him. I do rate Williams very highly and think he would maybe have a chance if he could make the transition to Middleweight but i think this would be the main problem in this fight, i cant see Williams moving up from Welter by September and to be honest Pavlik is more likely to want to fight Abraham and then move to Light Heavy rather than look at fighting Welters, by the time Williams could make the transition to Middleweight i think Pavlik will be up at Light Heavy anyway and i doubt that will be by September.

Answer 6

I have high hopes of Williams becoming one of the true, great fighters of today...that's not going to happen if he steps into the ring with Pavlik.  Getting demolished by Pavlik is a bad career move for Williams, who should concentrate on 147 until ODLH, Cotto and Mayweather go away.

Answer 7

If that fight were to happen, i'd have to go with Pavlik on this one. Pavlik is a natural middleweight (160 lbs.) whereas Williams is a welterweight (147 lbs.), so basically we are talking about a 13 lbs. weight increase in 2 months, i mean it is possible for Williams to gain that 13 pounds but he won't be able to train as hard as he should if he wants to fight Pavlik. I have heard of talks between them two fighting but for Williams sake, he should hold off and work his way into the middleweight division if he thinks he has a shot at taking out Pavlik. Also, and this is just my opinion, i think this is just some kind of stunt that Bob Arum is throwing out there, making it look as if there is another fighter who is gonna be looked at as a fighter "dodging" Pavlik, in turn it's gonna build Pavlik's cred up a little bit by having someone else not wanna fight him when realistically Arum knows Williams can't make that jump so fast so soon, besides Pavlik is stronger than anyone Williams has ever faced and as much as i like Williams talent, i dont see him lasting more than 8 rounds with Pavlik.