Carlos Quintana beat Paul Williams to the punch for twelve rounds to take the WBO Welterweight Championship.
February 9 at Pechanga Resort an Casino in Temecula, CA, Carlos Quintana defeated Paul Williams by unanimous decision. With the victory, Quintana took the WBO Welterweight Championship that Williams lifted from Antonio Margarito just last summer. The judges scored the fight 115-113 and 116-112 twice. Suite 101 scored it 117-112.
Quintana, 25-1 (19) was an 8-1 underdog coming into the fight but clearly had a game-plan and the discipline to stick to it. That plan was to use lateral movement to keep the lanky 6'1" Williams from planting his feet long enough to unleash his punches. Williams, who averages 100 punches per round, was held to just 552 over twelve rounds by Quintana.
Early rounds showed Williams, 33-1 (24) flicking his right jab like a cobra's tongue searching for Quintana but never quite landing flush, while Quintana deftly circled left, then right while landing counter right hooks and straight lefts.
In round three Williams face began to swell as Quintana concentrated on Williams' body, digging short, hard hooks whenever the fighters closed in on one another.
In the middle rounds Quintana's constant movement, and Williams' tendency to lean on him began show on the 29-year-old veteran. His punches lacked the snap they showed in the early rounds and Williams' jab found its mark more consistently.
The stretch toward the championship rounds seemed to give Quintana his second wind, or it could have been Williams' (24) swelling visage that encouraged the challenger. Whatever the reason, Quintana began landing his left hand over Williams' low right almost at will.
Adding to Williams troubles was a deep cut over his right eye, and a battered and swollen face. This was clearly the worst punishment Williams had ever taken in the ring. Going in to the last round it seemed obvious that Williams needed a knockout to keep his title. Quintana switched to a prevent defense and raised his arms at the final bell, assured that he had done enough to win.
On the undercard, highly touted welterweight prospect Andre Berto 21-0 cruised to an easy TKO after the sixth round over Michel Trabant. The light punching Trabant 43-2-1 never seriously threatened Berto who snapped his jab, rights and lefts with impunity.
At no time was Berto in any danger, though welterweights who have him on their radar screen might have noted that in the rare moments that Trabant fired combinations, Berto closed up and wouldn't trade. At this point in Berto's career a step up in competition is clearly warranted, which will tell if Berto's defensiveness when fired upon signifies a greater flaw.
Fighter's records provided by BoxRec.com
