Williams earns bizarre victory

Associated Press

CARSON, Calif.

Paul Williams earned a bizarre victory Saturday night when Kermit Cintron wasn’t allowed to continue after tumbling through the ropes and landing on a ringside table early in the fourth round.

The 154-pound bout ended with Cintron strapped to a stretcher and wearing a neck brace, although he wanted to keep fighting.

Williams (39-1, 27 KOs) was awarded a technical victory by split decision because he led on two of the three judges’ scorecards. California rules require a decision if a fight ends by injury after the fourth round begins.

“It’s a strange way to get a win,” Williams said. “I wanted to hurt him with a punch, not by him falling out of the ring.”

Williams and Cintron exchanged big shots in the early moments of the fourth, with Williams snapping back Cintron’s neck with two big left hands.

Williams connected with another punch and tried to clinch, but slipped and fell to the canvas. Leaning forward and off balance, Cintron (32-3-1) tripped over Williams’ left leg and went headfirst through the ropes, hitting a monitor and a table with his head.

Cintron stayed down on his side for several minutes, but the Puerto Rican fighter eventually said he felt fine to keep going. The ringside doctor wouldn’t allow it, and Cintron was taken away in an ambulance.

Margarito wins

AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico

Antonio Margarito won a unanimous decision over Roberto Garcia on Saturday in his first fight in more than 15 months following a one-year suspension.

Margarito outclassed Garcia, who absorbed most of the punishment and was knocked down in the first round of the 10-round bout by a right-left-right combination.