JM: On February 18th you are facing Nobuhiro Ishida. How much of a threat is he to you?
Paul Williams: “I view anybody as a threat. Every time you get in the ring with someone you know that two things can happen. You can walk out a winner, or you can walk out the loser. I always look at my opponents as a threat.”
JM: Have you seen Ishida's knockout of James Kirkland? What did you think?
PW: “I seen it. It is what it is.”
JM: Any predictions on how February 18th will play out?
PW: “I know I am going to win. I am looking to put on a good show, and give the fans something to talk about.”
JM: Do you feel in your heart that you truly beat Erislandy Lara [Williams was the official winner of the bout, but the verdict was widely criticized as one of the worst in recent memory]?
PW: “Of course I beat Lara. Watch the fight again. I threw more punches, and landed more punches. What all of a sudden they don’t count body shots no more? He may have landed the clean “ohhh-wee” shots but I brought the fight to him the whole fight while he ran. I may have not got the “ohhh-wee” shots but I landed more shots, and threw more punches. I was busier.”
JM: You don't feel he was robbed, despite all judges from that fight being suspended after the fight? Including the one judge that had it scored a draw?
PW: “I don’t feel that way. It happens all the time. There are always going to be close calls, close fights. I like when people talk bad about me because they motivate me. I have to take the good with the bad.”
JM: What happens all the time? Fighters getting an unfair decision?
PW: “Every day will not be a good day. I had an off night my last few fights, but the fight with Lara I pulled it off to get the win.”
JM: Fans will not forget about that Lara fight. Do you plan on getting back in the ring with him?
PW: “If my manager and my team choose that fight for me, then of course I want to get back in the ring with him.”
JM: What can the fans expect by this time next year for the Punisher?
PW: “They can expect the punisher to punish somebody. I am going to come out there and show them some new stuff, and do my job.
JM: After Antonio Margarito got caught attempting to place plaster in his wraps against Shane Mosley, a lot of fighters that he fought prior to that suspected he may have loaded wraps in their fights. You fought Margarito in 2007. How did Margarito's punches feel in the late rounds?
PW: “Margarito’s punches were solid. He can punch. I won’t say that I think he had loaded hand wraps, because nothing has been proven.”
JM: Any closing thoughts for the fans?
PW: “February 18th I will put on a show for all of my fans, and for the people that are not my fans, I plan on giving them something to talk about.”
Paul Williams: “I view anybody as a threat. Every time you get in the ring with someone you know that two things can happen. You can walk out a winner, or you can walk out the loser. I always look at my opponents as a threat.”
JM: Have you seen Ishida's knockout of James Kirkland? What did you think?
PW: “I seen it. It is what it is.”
JM: Any predictions on how February 18th will play out?
PW: “I know I am going to win. I am looking to put on a good show, and give the fans something to talk about.”
JM: Do you feel in your heart that you truly beat Erislandy Lara [Williams was the official winner of the bout, but the verdict was widely criticized as one of the worst in recent memory]?
PW: “Of course I beat Lara. Watch the fight again. I threw more punches, and landed more punches. What all of a sudden they don’t count body shots no more? He may have landed the clean “ohhh-wee” shots but I brought the fight to him the whole fight while he ran. I may have not got the “ohhh-wee” shots but I landed more shots, and threw more punches. I was busier.”
JM: You don't feel he was robbed, despite all judges from that fight being suspended after the fight? Including the one judge that had it scored a draw?
PW: “I don’t feel that way. It happens all the time. There are always going to be close calls, close fights. I like when people talk bad about me because they motivate me. I have to take the good with the bad.”
JM: What happens all the time? Fighters getting an unfair decision?
PW: “Every day will not be a good day. I had an off night my last few fights, but the fight with Lara I pulled it off to get the win.”
JM: Fans will not forget about that Lara fight. Do you plan on getting back in the ring with him?
PW: “If my manager and my team choose that fight for me, then of course I want to get back in the ring with him.”
JM: What can the fans expect by this time next year for the Punisher?
PW: “They can expect the punisher to punish somebody. I am going to come out there and show them some new stuff, and do my job.
JM: After Antonio Margarito got caught attempting to place plaster in his wraps against Shane Mosley, a lot of fighters that he fought prior to that suspected he may have loaded wraps in their fights. You fought Margarito in 2007. How did Margarito's punches feel in the late rounds?
PW: “Margarito’s punches were solid. He can punch. I won’t say that I think he had loaded hand wraps, because nothing has been proven.”
JM: Any closing thoughts for the fans?
PW: “February 18th I will put on a show for all of my fans, and for the people that are not my fans, I plan on giving them something to talk about.”
