This is a very strange story. There was a purse bid held today for the WBO Welterweight title bout between champion Antonio Margarito and mandatory number one challenger Paul "The Punisher" Williams. Goossen Tutor won the purse bid with an offer of $1,506,250, outbidding Golden Boy Promotions at $1,444,444.
According to Fightnews.com, Washington, DC is in the running to host this bout, competing against Las Vegas and Los Angeles. A proposed date must take place "no sooner than 45 days after Antonio Margarito is medically cleared to fight and no later than 120 days after Margarito is medically cleared to fight."
Promoter Dan Goossen is scheduled to contact each fighter's manager and contracts have to be signed by Friday, February 2 at 7 PM ET.
But don't get your hopes up. It is widely thought that this bout will never take place, primarily because Margarito's promotional company, Top Rank, announced this week that Margarito plans to challenge Miguel Cotto for the WBA Welterweight title, should Cotto defeat Oktay Urkal on March 3.
Many of you know that Williams, who is from Aiken, SC, does a lot of his training in the DC area.
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13 comments:
Doesn't the bout HAVE to take place, if Williams is the mandatory #1 challenger? It'd be cool to see this-I'd guess it'd be in Verizon (formerly MCI) Center?
Technically, yes it SHOULD have to happen, but in today's boxing world this happens more often than it should.
It's common knowledge that Margarito is avoiding Williams like the proverbial plague. I've talked to Williams's representatives and they don't seem optimistic that this bout will happen.
Ironic since Margarito has been crying for years that Floyd was ducking him not he is the one ducking.
I didn't know he trained here. Do you know what gym or gyms?
Paul has trained at Sugar Ray Leonard Gym and at Round One. I saw him at Round One last week.
His trainer (whose name escapes me) is a retired DC policeman who moved to South Carolina and started a boxing program at a local boys and girls club. Paul was one of the participants in the program.
Gary,
Was it Manager-trainer George Peterson
Linda
That's his name! Thanks!!
George, better known as "Junebug", is a great trainer/manager and a hell of a nice guy at that.
He also trains over there with Barry and the Peterson Bro.
Running for what. That punk don't want to figh Paul the Punisher. So what would they bring to DC nothing.I feel for you Paul as well as DC we thought we was going to have a World title fight here.
Well...I don't really blame Margarito for not wanting to fight Williams right now. Williams is high-risk for not-so-high dollars at the moment. He (Margarito) has a much more lucrative fight coming up this year against Miguel Cotto. Margarito has been a pro for many years, gone undefeated for many years, and paid his dues. He is deserving of a good payday. As for Williams -- his time/opportunity will soon come, and deservedly so.
BTW - Absolutely nothing against Margarito & Williams as fighters (they both happen to be legit top-5 welters in this case) but don't please don't read too much into these (usually) bogus and assinine alphabet "mandatories". Also, while this would have been a good quality fight to be certain, it wouldn't have really been a "WORLD" title fight. There is only ONE world, and hence (logically speaking) there can only be ONE world champion.
That guy - like it or not - is Ring Magazine champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the moment. All the rest should be considered top contenders or "trinket holders".
Peace...
I agree wholeheartedly! When Margarito had nothing to lose, I feel sure he would have fought Paul (who would win is up for debate). That said, now he has a lucrative payday waiting in Cotto and it would be a bad career move to face Paul, a major risk, before that payday occurs. Like Bizzy said, the man HAS paid his dues. For years he's made moderate paydays fighting anyone and everyone. Let the man make some money before taking on Paul. We're actually pretending that the decision is Margarito's. It's not. Bob Arum WILL make some money with him before he puts him in with a monster like Paul.
S.S - I think the big question may be this though: Will we be talking about a possible Margarito-Williams fight in late 2007...Or a possible Cotto-Williams fight?
I give Cotto a SLIGHT edge to beat Antonio. In any case though...If the winner faces Williams (and they should, or at least the Mosley-Collazo winner perhaps) it would be a big plus for the fans!
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