Will Kelly Pavlik vs. Paul Williams Happen?

In the aftermath of Kelly Pavlik's fifth-round knockout of Miguel Espino on Saturday night, promoter, Bob Arum, of Top Rank said that he would gladly make a fight between Pavlik and former world champion, Paul Williams.

"Kelly had a contract signed by Kelly and Paul Williams to fight on Dec. 5. Kelly's hand [injury and infection] didn't allow that fight to happen. But the contracts were signed," said Arum, referring to a bout that was to take place in Atlantic City.

"And I say this to those loudmouth guys with Williams: Just sign the initial contract, and we'll do it first thing next year," said Arum. "That's all that they have to do. The terms are set up. And if they don't do it, let them shut their damn mouths."

The matchup would feature two, hard-punching, energetic and rangy fighters.

Pavlik (36-1, 32 knockouts), the WBC and WBO middleweight (160 pounds) titlist, stands nearly 6-foot-3, and Williams (38-1, 27 KOs), a southpaw, former two-time welterweight (147 pounds) and one-time junior middleweight (154 pounds) champ, nearly 6-2.


In Saturday's win over Espino (20-3-1, nine KOs), an unheralded, 29-year-old, Pavlik dropped his rival twice in the fourth round, and, once more in the fifth of their toe-to-toe clash at Youngstown State's Beeghly Center in Pavlik's hometown of Youngstown, Ohio.

The 27-year-old Pavlik ended a nearly 10-month layoff with his 32nd knockout, and hoped to have silenced critics of his forced cancellation of a scheduled, Dec. 5 fight with Williams (38-1, 27 KOs, a two-time welterweight (147 pounds) and one-time junior middleweight (154 pounds).

Although their bout was called off due to a MRSA staph infection on the left knuckle of Pavlik's forefinger, there were some who accused Pavlik of running from Williams, a lean boxer with two-fisted power and seemingly endless amounts of energy.

"I would tell [Williams] that I want to make our fight happen," Pavlik told FanHouse a few days prior to stopping Espino. "I'm not looking past Miguel Espino...But after this fight, let's make it happen. That's exactly what I would tell [Williams.]."

Pavlik, similarly, stood in the ring following the Espino fight and called out Williams.

"Listen, we wanted him, and we ended up fighting Bernard Hopkins because he pulled out of the fight. That's why we jumped up two weight classes to fight Bernard Hopkins," said Pavlik, referring to a unanimous decision loss in to the legendary Hopkins in October of 2008.

"This last fight, we signed the contract a month before he did. Unfortunately, with the staph infection, it is medically proven that we couldn't fight it," said Pavlik. "So, Paul Williams, you're not the most feared fighter. You've got a guy standing right here in Youngstown, Ohio, that wants you."

Although Williams' trainer and manager, George Peterson, said that he is "done pursuing Kelly Pavlik," Williams' promoter, Dan Goossen, said the fight still could happen, but not under the old contract conditions Arum favors.

Goossen told FanHouse on Monday night that Williams' stock has improved since the negotiations involving Pavlik-Williams, particularly in the wake of Williams' sensational, action-packed, 12-round, majority decision victory over fellow southpaw Sergio Martinez (44-2-2) on Dec. 2.

In what has been tabbed a potential Fight Of The Year candidate, the 28-year-old Williams emerged victorious over Martinez from an action-packed classic clash that featured two, first-round knock downs.

"Frankly, things have changed. We'd be willing to get together in a fight with Williams, but only if Kelly takes a 50-50 split," said Goossen, declining to clarify the conditions of the original Pavlik-Williams contract. "They want the fight, it's 50-50. If you want the fight, then there it is."

Arum said that Pavlik is more likely to pursue a bout with Martinez, unbeaten IBF super middleweight (168 pounds) champion, Lucien Bute (25-0, 20 KOs) of Canada, or WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm (33-2-1, 14 KOs).

Arum's newest message to Goossen?

"Take a walk," said Arum.

"This shows that they really don't want to fight Kelly Pavlik, because Paul Williams has shown that he can't take a punch from a junior middleweight," said Arum. "If Martinez, can knock down Paul Williams, then Williams has shown that he has no chin."