Paul Williams has had a one-round blowout in each of his last two fights, once in a rematch against Carlos Quintana to reclaim the welterweight title, another time against at 160 against a much less tested foe. So what will Williams look like against Verno Phillips at 154? Phillips was long in the tooth the first time I saw him on HBO, which was four and a half years ago against Carlos Bojorquez. Phillips is a smooth fighter with a bit of pop, but he's lost 10 times in 54 fights (though only once by knockout, in his fifth fight, in 1988), so invincible he ain't. He's now 38, and although he's carried his skills and chin with him into middle age, the only way he wins is if Williams comes in totally out of shape and unfocused. He's already done that once in his career (the first loss to Quintana), but I don't think it happens here: Williams by late stoppage.
I see Jorge Arce and Vic Darchinyan are going to go at it in February. Arce has to hurt Darchinyan often to keep him on defense, or he's going to get broken down and knocked out. Right now I'm leaning toward a mid-round stoppage for Darchinyan in a great scrap.
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