10.02.08 – Bill Calogero, TheDailySports.com: Even though we are currently in a Boxing Boom, it’s not often we see a Good Fight and when it’s all over, a Justified Decision. Sometimes we see an exceptional fight, but can argue over who won, unless of course there was a knock out involved..
Last night, as the Main Event of HBO’s Boxing After Dark Series, Carlos Quintana out-worked the previously unbeaten Paul “The Punisher” Williams to become the NEW WBO Welterweight Champion. The entertaining fight was broadcast live from the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.
When the two combatants met in the center of the ring at the start of the first round, my first thought was David vs. Goliath. Williams seemed so much bigger than Quintana, it looked as if I were watching Nikolay Valuev fighting Chris Byrd. But I guess size doesn’t matter after all.
The first, as is the case nine times out of ten, was a feel-out round. Both fighters landed some hard shots and both fighters used his jab. On my scorecard, the edge in the first round went to Quintana.
The second round began to show us what was to come during the duration of this contest. Carlos Quintana was launching and most importantly landing fast crisp punches then getting away. The best part of this approach was that he did it often. He would come in, bam bam, land two quick shots then get out of harms way. But just as Williams would try to position himself to throw and possibly land a punch, Carlos beat him to it, landing another quick two or three shots. Carlos was able to get his punches off first and was out of the way before Williams could counter. I gave the second round to Quintana.
Williams came out the aggressor as the third round began. He was able to use his jab to set up a few power shots to score, but Carlos continued to use his quick “In-Hit-Get-Out” style to keep this round very close. On my card, I gave the edge to Williams because he landed more of the harder punches.
During the fourth round, Carlos again took control. He was able to establish his jab and seemed to be able to land overhand punches almost at will. It was he, the smaller fighter, that was successful in fighting from the outside and Williams was forced to try and get the fight in close, but that approach did not help him. Although Paul landed some punches, it was clearly Quintana who was landing the harder, more accurate punches to win the round on my card.
The fifth round was a close round. Carlos was not as busy as he had been in the previous four rounds. He was able to keep moving, circling around Williams, landing two or three shots then moving again, but Williams was connecting more than he had been with his jab. Carlos began working the body towards the end of the round. It was a hard round to score, but based on the aggressiveness and the fact that in my opinion he landed the much harder punches, I gave the small edge to Quintana, but honestly this round could have gone either way.
When the sixth round began, Carlos seemed to begin lunging at Williams. He was launching punches a littler farther away than he had been earlier in the fight. Williams on the other hand was successful in landing short, crisp punches while keeping Quintana close. His short right hooks and left uppercuts landed flush on the head of Carlos Quintana. I gave this round to Williams.
The seventh round featured both fighters landing some hard punches and was to this point of the fight, the best round. Both fighters followed jabs with hard punches of all kinds. This round treated us to jabs, hooks, straight punches, upper cuts and shots to the body and head from both fighters. Quintana opened a cut over Williams’ left eye from a solid overhand left. It was an action-packed round. I gave the edge to Williams.
As the eighth round began, I honestly thought that Carlos Quintana was running out of gas. He was not landing as many crisp punches as he had been previously during this fight. Williams on the other hand, seemed to come on strong. Maybe it was a sense of urgency from the somewhat serious cut over his eye, but Williams fought with more determination than he had up to this point. This round was clearly Williams.
Williams came out the aggressor, landing punches as the ninth round began. He was doubling up his shots and they definitely were finding their targets on the head and body of Carlos Quintana. As the round progressed, Quintana came on strong. He landed several back to back to back lefts that all landed flush on Williams, resulting in opening a cut over Williams right eye. In a close, action-packed round, I gave the edge to Quintana on my scorecard.
The tenth and eleventh rounds both went to Carlos Quintana on my card. He was able to land the harder shots throughout both rounds. As was the case seemingly for the entire bout, Quintana’s overhand left found its target almost every time he threw it. In addition, he landed several hard left hooks to the body of Williams. Bleeding from above both eyes, Williams had to concentrate more on his defense than his offense.
The twelfth and final round was Williams best round of this fight. He seemed to have a second wind and was full of energy. He threw more punches and landed most. Quintana handpicked his shots during this round. Although Carlos did land the harder punches throughout this round, it was clearly Williams round.
One judge at ringside saw the fight at 115-113, while the other two had it 116-112, all in favor of the NEW WBO Welterweight Champion, Carlos Quintana. TheDailySports.com scored the fight 115-113 also in favor of the new Champ.
Carlos Quintana arguably fought the best fight of his career and feels that Paul Williams and the Boxing World in general grossly underestimated him. He worked hard to prepare for this fight and it showed. He improves to 25-1 (19 KOs) and is now a major part of the Welterweight Division; currently one of boxing’s best.
Paul Williams made no excuses after the bout. He said that he had an off night and Carlos won. Case closed. He loses for the first time of his career, dropping to 33-1 (24 KOs).
In the co-featured event, Andre Berto showed why he is a legitimate number one World ranked welterweight contender. He overwhelmed the only twice beaten Michel Trabant with a full arsenal of punches.
Berto showcased his skill, which featured it all. Hand speed, left and right hooks; severe body shots and an upper cut that I thought would separate Trabant’s head from his neck! Berto put on a show; there is really no other way to describe it. He beat up Trabant so much that it caused Michel to quit on his stool after the sixth round, giving Andre Berto the TKO victory.
Andre Berto improves to 21-0 (18 KOs) and MUST get a World Title shot soon. All in all a great performance! Michel Trabant drops to 43-3-1 (19 KOs).
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