Great fight flying under the radar...

[Deserter]

I'm genuinely surprised at the apparent lack of interest in the Williams vs Martinez clash tonight as I think it's fascinating(http://www.fightnews.com/?p=31548#more-31548).
I'm expecting Williams to come through on points but I think it's going to be a tough fight for him and I wouldn't even rule out a split decision.
From memory, wasn't Williams' only defeat to date also against a tricky southpaw (albeit one he righted in spectacular fashion with that KO)?
Kudos to both fighters for taking the fight - deserves far more coverage than it's getting given it's two of the most-avoided boxers out there going head-to-head.

[Deno1986]

Yea I agree, I for one will be staying up to get a stream for this. Always felt really sorry for Williams because no-one will fight him because he isn't a big name apparently but I think everyone knows that isn't the reason. There aren't many boxers who can float between 147 and 160 comfortably. Quintana was that boxer that bet him and deservedly so but Williams cancelled that out by knocking him out in the rematch. I think Williams will take this on a UD but it will be a close UD, Martinez is no mug.

Pavlik-Williams has to be made then and it would be a great chance for Williams to really get noticed because I think he takes Pavlik if he survives the first 5/6 rounds.

[Eraserhead]

Quintana made Williams look very ordinary and one-dimensional in their first fight. Williams did the business in the rematch, but the nature of the result made it seem more like a one-punch fluke than anything else. It reminded me of when Enzo Mac sparked Mark Hobson in their rematch, having just had a life and death 12-rounder with him in their first match.

I give Martinez a very good shot here. I think he's got the style to give Williams hell.

[Deserter]

I'm expecting Williams to come through on points but I think it's going to be a tough fight for him and I wouldn't even rule out a split decision.

8) (Sorry, couldn't resist patting myself on the back, as no-one else was going to!)

[teddy007]

I'm expecting Williams to come through on points but I think it's going to be a tough fight for him and I wouldn't even rule out a split decision.

8) (Sorry, couldn't resist patting myself on the back, as no-one else was going to!)

[Deno1986]

I'm expecting Williams to come through on points but I think it's going to be a tough fight for him and I wouldn't even rule out a split decision.

8) (Sorry, couldn't resist patting myself on the back, as no-one else was going to!)

[Autobarn]

good pick. yes, the khan and mitchell fights stole all the headlines.

apparently williams-martinez was a great fight. must have been martinez's best ever performance. he has come a long way from the beatdown by margarito. was williams a worthy winner? was he impressive? is he a legit "pound for pounder"? should there be a rematch down at 154 for martinez's belt?

apparently former WBA 154 champ joachim alcine v christophe canclaux, in canada, was also a tremendous battle.

[Deserter]

I'm expecting Williams to come through on points but I think it's going to be a tough fight for him and I wouldn't even rule out a split decision.

8) (Sorry, couldn't resist patting myself on the back, as no-one else was going to!)

Fella, meant to say on the other thread but huge thanks for the rbr coverage - read it as soon as I got up this morning and really helped 'bring it to life' in the absence of being able to watch it live. Really appreciated

[Deno1986]

Fella, meant to say on the other thread but huge thanks for the rbr coverage - read it as soon as I got up this morning and really helped 'bring it to life' in the absence of being able to watch it live. Really appreciated

not a problem mate

[whicker]

I'm genuinely surprised at the apparent lack of interest in the Williams vs Martinez clash tonight .

I don't mean to be rude, but possibly the "lack of interest" is because this is a British Boxing forum- there was lots of discussion on the current scene forum about that fight.

[Deserter]

I'm genuinely surprised at the apparent lack of interest in the Williams vs Martinez clash tonight .

I don't mean to be rude, but possibly the "lack of interest" is because this is a British Boxing forum- there was lots of discussion on the current scene forum about that fight.

Whicker, there have been countless occasions over the past few years that we've all debated international fights on this forum and given both Martinez's history on these shores and the fact it was a compelling showdown between two of the most prominent members of the 'most avoided fighters' club, I remain surprised.
I should also add that I went onto the Current Scene and I have to be honest and say I didn't find much there either in terms of discussions about the fight.

[slapbangwhallop]

best fight I've seen since Dunne-Cordoba

[Eraserhead]

Tremendous fight. Possibly the best of 2009. Both guys enjoyed success in the fight and both hit the deck in round one. I felt Martinez should have got the nod in the end, as he landed countless lead right hooks and left crosses throughout the fight. As I expected going in, Williams was a sitting duck for Martinez' counterpunches. The Punisher clearly hates fighting slick southpaws. He was lucky to get the decision.

These two are the best light-middles/middles around right now. I'd back them to beat pretty much everyone within that weight range, including Kelly Pavlik.

[slapbangwhallop]

Tremendous fight. Possibly the best of 2009. Both guys enjoyed success in the fight and both hit the deck in round one. I felt Martinez should have got the nod in the end, as he landed countless lead right hooks and left crosses throughout the fight. As I expected going in, Williams was a sitting duck for Martinez' counterpunches. The Punisher clearly hates fighting slick southpaws. He was lucky to get the decision.

These two are the best light-middles/middles around right now. I'd back them to beat pretty much everyone within that weight range, including Kelly Pavlik.

even Duddy and JCCJ?

come on!

[Autobarn]

just one thing. this was no marquez-vazquez 3. williams and martinez gave an excellent fight, but they were sloppy, they were holding and they were lunging - badly at times.

have ppl just overrated the fight a little bit?

definitely have to question williams' credentials a) as a middleweight and b) as a pound for pounder.

if he had demolished martinez, they would have questioned the validity of the win (at the highest level) because it isn't martinez's weight. but to beat martinez controversially?

they should build to a rematch next year for martinez's WBC 154 belt. it was good enough to warrant a rematch. where else is the money at 154? if williams knocks him out early, then he's done it again, ala quintana, and is the real deal.

williams won't land a mosley, and i think he should wait until pavlik moves up to 168, before shooting for a title at 160.

[Shirow]

I don't think this was overated at all. Skill, intensity and high volume punch output. I hesitate to say it was a modern classic up with Barrera v Morales I and Vazquez v Marquez trilogy because i still haven't completely calmed down after watching it but that's exactly what i was thinking during.

Arreola v Minto was entertaining on the undercard too.

[alexpaterson]

Brilliant fight Williams has zero defence for that right hand, Martinez gave him hell for the 1st 3 rounds and then Williams workrate cam on and gave him trouble but late when both were tired I felt Martinez did more he started throwing that straight left to the body followed by the right hook and it landed a lot then he fainted it and landed a brilliant straight left, it was a very close fight that could of gone either way I had it 115-113 Martinez I gave him the last 2 rounds that could of gone either way. 119-110 was the worst scorecard I've ever seen it was an absoulote joke he should never judge again after that. Both deserve massive respect for producing a great fight, both really impressed me, Martinez is a fighter I want to see more of he is technically sound and defensively very good but also has big guts and a heart the size of Scotland. He is by a good bit the best Light Middleweight around imo

[Autobarn]

great to see martinez put the margarito loss WELL behind him. his stock has really gone up. remmeber the yanks on the current going over his "competition" with a microscope, saying he was no good because he had beaten no one, etc?

i think we all knew he was a bloody good boxer, for quite a while.

reckon williams and martinez have to do it again, after a tune up each. it's crazy that rematches of great controversial battles - like this and berto-collazo - are being dismissed by the camps, delayed, defered, etc.