Brick City Boxing

By: John Novosalec at ringside for DoghouseBoxing.com

Both Winky Wright and Paul Williams have had hard times finding opponents. Tonight in Las Vegas they found each other in a bout which held crossroads implications for Winky and potential career elevating status for the weight shifting Williams.

Ticket sales were slim for a fight held in a venue that was totally inappropriate for the fighters involved. This fight should have been in LA or the South, but it landed in a Vegas casino. Oh well, we have a fight that, though without a title at stake, still holds division significant division meaning. A win for Winky would reestablish himself, while a Williams victory would show that he truly can compete at a very high level in multiple weight classes.

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Williams entered first, followed by Winky, who was more well received than was P Dub. The difference in speed is initially apparent as Williams flicks jab after jab and out hustles Winky to start the fight, though the cagey vet picked off his fair share of shots and landed some hard ones of his own. The Punisher opened up in round 2, and a hard right uppercut with 15 seconds left punctuated a round that saw him dominate with fluid combinations to the head and body.

By the 3rd round Winky’s face was starting to show the effects of the busier man in the ring with him, as his face reddened as he bled from the cheek. The 4th was much of the same, as Williams began to establish his dominance in the fight with superior speed and activity. To Winky’s credit, he was still blocking a lot of shots. Winky would stage a comeback in rounds 5 and 6, as Williams output slowed and Winky landed some solid shots.

The crowd broke into a Winky chant in round 6, urging him on. Williams picked back up his frantic pace and seemed to win out the round. A big right hook to the head less than a minute in to the 7th re-established the position of the Punisher. Williams ring savvy and ring general ship are far beyond his age, and it’s showing against someone with the veteran guile of Wright. Williams again fired a volley of combos in the 9th that left Winky without answers.

The 10th saw Williams come out looking for the kill. He attacked Winky at the bell, and kept the pressure on through the entire round. Going into the final 2 rounds, it appears that Winky will need a KO to win, and Williams isn’t even breathing hard. The speed, angles, youth, and athleticism of the South Carolina native is just too much for a 37 year old Winky Wright.

The 12th round was a whirlwind beginning and end, with both men coming out throwing hot leather. Both men looked to close strong, and, despite Williams obvious lead on the cards he willfully obliged.

Official scores read 119-109 twice, and 120-108, all for Williams. I felt it was much closer, though the correct winner was chosen.

Questions or comments,
e-mail John at: jnovoselac@yahoo.com