On Saturday night December 5th, in the main event at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall, Three-time World Champion Paul Williams, the “Most Feared Fighter in the World,” will face his latest challenge, this coming from WBC Super Middleweight Champion Sergio Martinez, in a scheduled 12-round middleweight bout. In the 10-round co-featured bout, Cristobal Arreola will see his first action since a courageous loss at the hands of WBC heavyweight Champion Vitali Klitschko, when he battles bruiser Brian Minto.
Goossen Tutor Promotions and Caesars Atlantic City in association with DiBella Entertainment are presenting this evening of boxing and Williams vs. Martinez and Arreola vs. Minto will be broadcast on HBO’s World Championship Boxing beginning at 9:30 PM ET/6:30 PM PT.
Tickets, priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50, can be purchased at the Boardwalk Hall box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 736-1420 or online at ticketmast.com.
Since debuting as a professional in 2003, Cristobal Arreola (27-1, 24 KOs) from Riverside, CA began recording knockout wins at a Tyson-like pace as only one of his first twenty-seven opponents went the distance. Arreola became a fan-favorite in Southern California while knocking out fellow contenders and climbing the heavyweight world rankings. Following wins against Chazz Witherspoon (June 21, 2006) and Jameel McCline (KO 4, April 11, 2009), Arreola became the No. 1 ranked and mandatory challenger to World Boxing Council (WBC) champion Vitali Klitschko. On September 26, 2009, in front of 18,000 screaming fans at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA., Arreola’s knockout and win streak came to an end in a warrior like performance against the bigger, stronger Klitschko, but like any proud boxer of Mexican heritage, “The Nightmare” vows to return and will begin the climb back to the top on December 5 against the very dangerous Brian Minto.
“I’m looking forward to getting back in the ring against Brian Minto on Dec 5th,” said Arreola. I’m excited about fighting in Atlantic City and back on HBO again. I know Minto will come to fight – he has an all action style, but I will be ready and am looking to put on an explosive performance. I’m looking to end 2009 on a positive note and looking to challenge for a title again in 2010, but this time not letting it slip away!”
Minto (32-4, 21 KOs) from Butler, PA dabbled in boxing as a child, was a standout football player in high school and played linebacker at Slippery Rock University. His football career came to an end in 1996 and Minto returned to the ring. With only 18 amateur fights (15-3) under his belt, “The Beast” turned professional in 2002 at the ripe age of twenty-eight. Minto fought nine times each in 2003 and 2004, his breakout fight coming against noted Queens brawler Vinny Maddalone on July 23, 2004. Minto was knocked down in round one and behind on all score cards going into the tenth and final round when he knocked Maddalone out with a vicious right hand. Minto followed that up with an even bigger win on December 5, 2005, traveling into hostile territory to take on Germany’s favorite boxing son, Axel Schultz. Minto battered and bloodied Schultz, dropping him in the fourth, and in the sixth when the fight was stopped during a Minto onslaught. A unanimous decision loss to Luan Krasniqi for the WBO Intercontinental title followed the Schultz win, but Minto has since reeled off seven consecutive victories.
“Actually, I was rooting for Arreola in his title fight with Klitschko,” said Minto. “He is extremely dangerous, and like myself, he fights with a great deal of determination, heart and skill. Ultimately, I feel that boxing fans and HBO are in for a very exciting and memorable heavyweight fight on Dec. 5th.”
“This is a very dangerous fight for Arreola so quickly after his bruising challenge against Klitschko. But on the other hand, he’s never backed away from a challenge and Minto will certainly give him one. A win puts Arreola right back into the top echelon of heavyweights and a loss, well we’ll just have to see,” stated Arreola’s promoter Dan Goossen.
Williams (37-1, 27 KO), born in Aiken, SC, living in Augusta, GA, and training in Washington, DC, started his World Championship rein in 2007 by defeating Antonio Margarito for his Welterweight Championship. Not finding additional willing challenges at welterweight, Williams moved to super welterweight and beat then-champion Verno Phillips. Once again saddled without a line of waiting challengers, Williams moved up again, to middleweight, to challenge two-time world champion “Winky” Wright. Williams thoroughly defeated Wright to establish himself as a modern day Henry Armstrong, willing to take on the toughest challenges in any weight-class. The three-time world champion had planned to battle WBC/WBO middleweight world champion Kelly Pavlik next, but unfortunately for Williams, twice those bouts were cancelled when Pavlik pulled out.
Enter WBC Super Welterweight Champion Sergio Martinez, who recently predicted he would knock “The Punisher” out, but Williams has other plans. “I salute his confidence, but unfortunately for Sergio Martinez, he is going to have to absorb the punishment I planned for Pavlik.”
Martinez (44-1-2, 24 KO), a 34-year old, 5-11 southpaw from Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain via Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina. A 12-year pro, Martinez’ only blemish came at the hands of Antonio Margarito almost ten years ago. He has since won his next 28 fights – culminated by an eighth-round stoppage of Alex Bunema to claim the Interim WBC Light Middleweight title in October of last year. In his most recent bout against former world champion Kermit Cintron, Martinez retained the title in a majority draw when ringside observers thought at one point Cintron was knocked down and counted out only to be able to continue in a mystifying turn of events.
“This is the challenge I’ve been struggling to get. I know I can beat Williams and believe me, I will not only beat him, I will knock him out and show him who the Real Champion is.”