Replies

[D-MARV]

A few weeks back, promoters Dan Goossen and Bob Arum of Top Rank held discussions on a possible middleweight bout between WBO/WBC champion Kelly Pavlik and multi-division contender Paul Williams.

"About three weeks ago, two weeks ago, I had discussions with Bob Arum regarding a possible Pavlik-Paul Williams fight. Now as we know, Paul Williams has fought at 160-pounds but he's actually a 147-pounder," Goossen said to BoxingScene.com's Thomas Schlabe.

Goossen tells BoxingScene that he pitched an even 50-50 deal and Arum wanted no part of the deal. Based on their recent runs in the ring, Goossen believes that both sides are entitled to an even split.

"Coming off that great win over Winky Wright, obviously Kelly is still reeling somewhat from the loss to Bernard Hopkins. Regardless of that, we feel that Paul is at the top of the divisions whether it's 147, 154, 160 or 168," Goossen said.

"I told Bob that I wasn't going to get into a situation where I thought, that based on Paul's recent win over Wright and Pavlik's recent loss to Hopkins - I wasn't going to sit there and put Pavlik at a smaller percentage. I told him that we would be willing to do the fight at 50-50, co-promotion and each side split it down the middle and Bob didn't want any part of it."

Top Rank recently spoke with HBO and three middleweight opponents are being looked at for Pavlik's return on October 3 at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City - Winky Wright, Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm.

[D-MARV]

I agree that PWill doesn't deserve 50% but I love how you guys are saying that the Winky fighting wasn't that big of a deal. A lot of people picked Winky to win that fight and just about everybody thought it would be competitive. Truth be told, That one win was better than anything Sturm has ever done. Pavlik-Williams IS the fight to make at 160.

[Romulus9]

I agree that PWill doesn't deserve 50% but I love how you guys are saying that the Winky fighting wasn't that big of a deal. A lot of people picked Winky to win that fight and just about everybody thought it would be competitive. Truth be told, That one win was better than anything Sturm has ever done. Pavlik-Williams IS the fight to make at 160.

I'd say Sturm beating up on DLH and getting hosed on the decision was pretty meaningful, although it was at 160, which is also the case with the Williams win over Winky.

Pavlik-Williams is certainly the biggest fight to be made at middleweight. No one is questioning that. What I'm questioning is how he can just show up in the division and start dictating terms when Pavlik has been at 160 for years, has been an excellent champion, and a guy like Sturm has been sitting there waiting on a unification fight with someone like Pavlik but could get leapfrogged by someone jumping 13 pounds from welterweight. Let him earn the vacant IBF belt, and get the shot at Pavlik while Sturm gets what he's been waiting for as a sort of unofficial mandatory.

One thing is certain and can be agreed on by everyone.... NO SERGIO MORA!