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Versus Fight Night LiveRecap

September 25, 2008

Soboba Casino-San Jacinto, California

Middleweight (160 pounds) 10-Round Match:

Paul Williams (34-1, 25 KO's, 157 pounds) vs. Andy Kolle (17-1, 12 KO's, 158 pounds)

Williams holds a belt at 147 pounds, but is monstrously large for a boxer who cuts to 147 pounds. This match is an attempt to show he can dominate at 160 pounds and 147 pounds. At 160 pounds, Williams wants a PPV match with Kelly Pavlik. With a strong showing here, Williams could be Pavlik's most viable contender at 160 pounds. This match could help market Williams for the match he wants at 147 pounds, as well. There he wants a rematch with Antonio Margarito. The original recap of the great match he had with Margarito can be found here: http://www.number1contender.net/the-latest/2008/7/25/recap-of-margarito-vs-williams.html

Williams followed up the victory over Margarito with his worst performance as a pro, losing a controversial 12-round split decision to Carlos Quintana on February 9, 2008 at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.

However, Williams would erase the memory of that match in his last match, an immediate rematch with Quintana. After struggling so much with Quintana the first time, Williams was not expected to exercise his rematch clause. Williams was expected to go back to fighting top 20 boxers at 147 pounds to rebuild his confidence following how he was "exposed" in the first match with Quintana. Instead Williams proved that February 9 was just a bad night and the real Williams was arguably the best 147-pound boxer on the planet. Williams regained his title by defeating Quintanavia technical knockout at 2:15 of round 1 on June 7, 2008 at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. That victory, Floyd, Mayweather, Jr.'s "retirement" and Margarito's defeat of Miguel Cotto in July have left Williams as the uncrowned king of the 147-pound division. The original recap of Williams-Quintana II can be found here: http://www.number1contender.net/the-latest/2008/9/25/recap-of-paul-williams-vs-carlos-quinatana-ii.html

Williams is The Ring's number 2 contender at 147 pounds to their vacant championship in the weight class, behind only Margarito.

Kolle is here to showcase Williams. The last opponent Williams defeated that was better then .500 in their 6 matches prior to facing Kolle was Kareem Chartrand on December 3, 2005. Chartrand had a career record of 7-2 entering the match. The biggest name on Kolle's record is the only boxer to beat him. Olympic gold medalist Andre Ward, who was 8-0 entering the match, defeated Kolle via technical knockout at 3:00 of round 6 on April 29, 2006 at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Mashantuket, Connecticut.

The resident of Fergus Falls, Minnesota's last match was a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Jonathan Reid on June 7, 2008 at Wessman Arena in Superior, Wisconsin. Reid continued Kolle's streak of beating weak opponents. Reid was coming in having lost 8 of his last 9, 3 of those by knockout. Reid has had 1 match since then and he lost that via technical knockout in round 4.

Kolle is unranked by The Ring, and the number 94 ranked boxer in the world at 160 pounds by boxrec.com.

At 26-years-old, Kolle is younger then the 27-year-old Williams. Both boxers officially stand 6' 1" tall, however Williams appears taller. (Williams may be the only man on the planet who tells people he is shorter then he is, because he appears to be about 6' 4" tall.) The 147-pound title holder has the reach advantage with a gargantuan 82" wingspan, compared to the 70" wingspan of Kolle. Neither boxers' unofficial weight approaching match time is available. However, both boxers should be roughly the same weight in the ring. Both boxers will employ the southpaw stance.

The referee is Jerry Cantu.

A powerful right-left combination sends Kolle to the mat, with 1:34 to go in round 1. Kolle landed with his upper body under the ropes on the apron and his arms flailing above his head in the area of the seats. Kolle struggles to get up and his mouth gets caught on the bottom rope, which is a bit humorous. The Minnesotanfrantically makes it to his feet and starts stumbling around as the referee reaches 9 and 7/8. The referee wisely stops this match with 1:25 to go in round 1.

The official outcome from Jimmy Lennon, Jr.is that: at 1:37 of round 1 the referee stops the contest making the winner by technical knockout, Paul "The Punisher" Williams. The win moves Williams to 35-1 with 26 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

In Williams post match interview, he said he is trying to become more of a knockout puncher then a boxer who knocks out his opponents through an accumulation of punches. However, Williams manager delivered the quote of the night in reference to all of the boxers who are ducking his man at 147 that they are going to have break down and face Williams, "or join the girl scouts."

Williams appears to be a monster. It is unclear why anyone at 147 pounds would want to face him. He has already beaten Margarito. Cotto is 5' 7" tall and has probably had his fill of tall boxers. Zab Judah and Shane Mosley have both reportedly turned down matches with Williams. A match between Williams and Pavlik would be interesting. Williams is scheduled to defend his 147-pound belt on November 29 on HBO. It is unclear who will take that match. Amazingly, the giant is having problem finding any challengers for that match.

Kolle is going to go back to beating up below average boxers.

The one highlight of the night was Williams showing that his punching power is legitimate.