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Fighters get caught, it’s not like I got beat up by Martinez - Paul Williams

Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor

“The Punisher” eager to impress in Lara return

Two-time WBO welterweight title holder Paul Williams is looking forward to returning to the ring on July 9th as he takes on the undefeated Miami-based Cuban Erislandy Lara in Atlantic City. The 29 year-old was originally pencilled in to meet Nobuhiro Ishida, but the Japanese fighter was rejected by TV company HBO.

“The Punisher” now revisits the Boardwalk Hall, the scene of his most devastating night in boxing seven months ago when knocked out cold by former WBC middleweight champion Sergio Martinez and is hoping to eradicate the memory of last November and get his career back on track at 154lbs.

“What I’m looking for is me to go out there and put on a good show,” Williams told 15rounds.com in a recent interview.

“That last fight I had with Sergio Martinez, they wanna know how I’m going to perform after that. I’m going to go in there and do my thing.

“I got caught, the best get caught. It’s not like I got beat up. For me I know there’s a possibility that can happen in a fight so I’m not worried. I just want to get in there and go to work again,” he stated.

His opponent Lara, 28, is undefeated in 16 bouts so far and comes in to the fight on the back of a majority draw against Carlos Molina, a bout in which one judge had him up four rounds. It is a huge opportunity for the Guantanamo-born southpaw and the winner would be elevated to a possible title shot later in the year.

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