Popular WBC Super Welterweight champion Saul Alvarez will defend his title against the dangerous former world champion Paul Williams to help celebrate the Mexican Independence weekend on September 15th in a bout that is ticketed for Pay Per View according to Dan Rafael of espn.com
The bout will take place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
“Canelo and Williams is done. Signed, sealed and delivered,” said Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who got the deal done on Wednesday. “I think Williams is the biggest name in the division we could get and he has been known for years as one of the most avoided fighters in boxing. He’s awkward, he’s tall, he’s a dangerous fighter and that’s what you need on a pay-per-view. You need to give fans fights where they don’t know who’s going to win the fight.
“So, yes, it’s a risk for Canelo because Paul Williams is a terrific fighter. But it’s also a dangerous fight for Paul Williams. Some people still underestimate Canelo Alvarez but he can compete with anyone and he wants to compete with everyone. People have to remember that Canelo is still only 21 years old, but if you want to earn a shot at Floyd Mayweather, you need to be able to pass this kind of test, this tall test.”
Originally, Golden Boy had looked to James Kirkland, an exciting brawler whom it promotes, as Alvarez’s opponent and offered him the fight. However, Kirkland suffered a shoulder injury in a fight in March, had surgery and will not be ready to go by Sept. 15. So they looked to Williams (41-2, 27 KOs), 30, of Augusta, Ga.
“Kirkland is not going to be able to fight in September,” Schaefer said. “I want to make sure he is healthy and ready to go before a fight like this. So now people are saying, ‘Why are you putting Canelo in with Paul Williams?’ Some people think we are nuts. But I know one thing — it’s going to be a good fight. These guys both come to fight. I think one of these guys will get knocked out. If it’s an exciting fight I don’t think there are any losers.”
“We’ve been looking for something of this magnitude. We’ll be prepared for it,” said Williams trainer George Peterson. “He is going to put on a boxing clinic against Alvarez. This is what Paul has been wanting. We know Canelo is a good boxer. He has good footwork, good power and the will to win. That’s what I think about Alvarez. But Paul has been in the ring with the best and done really well. Paul can get up for this fight. There’s been one or two fights he couldn’t get up for.”
“What has happened is a few people have written Paul off, have said that he’s on his last legs. We’re glad about that, or we wouldn’t get no activity at all,” Peterson said. “It’s gonna be a real interesting fight and Paul is excited about it. It’s an opportunity to show the boxing community that Paul Williams is back. He’s never ducked a fighter and when the bell goes ‘bing,’ the fans will see a very exciting fight. Boxing needs something like this where who the winner will be is a mystery.
“I wanted to get the fight done and now I’ll see what I will do as it relates to which network is involved in the pay-per-view,” Schaefer said.
