Williams, Cintron face off tonight

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

Paul Williams’ guileless grin just doesn’t fit his words when the most avoided fighter in boxing discusses what he plans to do to Kermit Cintron tonight.

“I’m going to try to break his ribs, his jaw,” Williams said. “I’m going to try to kill him, basically. ... I’m going to hit him with everything I’ve got, and he’s going to have to fight me like a dog with rabies.”

Appearances always deceive with Williams (38-1, 27 KOs), a 6-foot-3 puncher capable of fighting at 147 pounds. His freakish athletic versatility petrifies almost every star in three weight divisions, leaving him to take on other fighters with more skill than fame — such as Cintron (32-2-1, 28 KOs), a Puerto Rican star also at a career crossroads.

“I know people are scared to fight him, and a lot of people are scared to fight me,” Cintron said. “The only thing you can do is fight each other.”

They’ll meet on HBO in a 154-pound bout at an outdoor stadium in Carson, Calif., just south of downtown Los Angeles.

Outside the ring, Williams is a laid-back character who plays on his striking resemblance to comedian Dave Chappelle — but there’s nothing funny about the obstacles blocking his path to the sport’s apex.

Williams would love to be a top welterweight landing big-money fights against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. He has the skill and the record for it, but still realizes his sheer size makes those fights highly unappetizing for the shorter superstars.

Yet Williams insists he isn’t frustrated by the pace of his career. He also didn’t flinch at taking on the dangerous Cintron, who has abandoned his own welterweight aspirations for bigger prizes.

“I’m not begging for a sandwich right now,” Williams said, citing his business interests and real estate holdings in the same way most top fighters reference their title belts. “It’s like shooting in the dark when you worry about that. I’m not even focusing on it.”

Williams is quite comfortable avoiding the spotlight in real life as well. He lives in Augusta, Ga., where he can blend into the background even when the Masters is in session.

He shares that small-town vibe with Cintron, a native Puerto Rican who grew up around Reading, Pa., excelling in several sports during high school. He hasn’t been embraced by his home island’s fans with the same fervor awarded to Felix Trinidad or Miguel Cotto.