This is a test. For the next 10 rounds (or less) Paul Williams will conduct a test of a new boxing weight class. This is only a test.

As he scales down for his WBO welterweight title defense in November, Aiken's Williams will throw himself a "middleweight coming out party" tonight. The only invited guest is 6-foot-1, 160-pound southpaw Andy "Kaos" Kolle.

"We're sort of feeling our way around in this weight division," trainer George Peterson said.

Williams is finding out that being freakishly large and talented in the marquee welterweight division scares people. Despite his belt and guaranteed multi-million dollar paydays, none of the name guys in the 147-pound class has been willing to step into the ring with him. Even losing his belt temporarily and regaining it with a convincing first-round knockout in the rematch didn't drum up any peer challenges.

So Williams is casting a bigger net. He's willing to fish in any pool from 147 to 168 pounds to add to his belt collection. He nearly got a shot at WBC/WBO middleweight titleholder Kelly Pavlik, but Pavlik's camp balked at the money.

So Williams will test drive the 160-pound class against Kolle tonight.

"The fight with Kolle will answer some questions and hopefully open up new opportunities," said Dan Goossen, Williams' promoter.

Those questions have been dogging Williams for awhile. Folks in boxing circles are wondering if the lanky welterweight has outgrown his current class and is struggling to make weight. But they also wonder how he will deal with fighters more his height and more accustomed to dealing with people their own size.

"People are asking, 'How is this kid going to jump from 147 to 160?'" Peterson said. "We're just making a statement. That's what he's doing. Everybody wants to see how well he's going to handle this challenge against natural middleweights."

Tonight's fight on a non-premium cable network proved to be a convenient opportunity. Williams still has a Nov. 29 date on HBO to defend his welterweight belt against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. After that he'll likely start trying to collect new belts in higher weight classes.

"There have been very few fighters that have been willing to take up the challenge with Paul from 147 pounds through 168 pounds," Goossen said. "Paul doesn't want to give up that WBO title. But keeping his 147 WBO title, while winning a title in the 154pound division, 160pound division and 168pound division, will make history since it hasn't been done in this modern era."

Williams took two weeks off after regaining his WBO belt with a first-round knockout of Carlos Quintana. As a result of the time out of the gym, he put on more pounds than usual. Instead of shedding everything to get ready for his late November welterweight defense, Peterson decided to bring him down more gradually and test himself at another step along the way.

"Since we're coming down, let's have a fight in between," Peterson said. "That will give us some activity while we're coming down."

That his step up didn't come against a more prominent fighter is no big deal to Williams.

"I'm not upset I'm not fighting a big name, because I'm moving up in weight," Williams said. "The big guys, and the big names and the big weights, they didn't want it."

Kolle is not just an opponent. He's a natural middleweight with only one career loss. Beating Williams could put him on the map.

"It's a shot I've been looking for my whole career," Kolle said. "Just come out there and fight a legitimate world champion."

Williams insists he's ready.

"I'm facing a bigger guy, but it's nothing," Williams said. "He's bringing his awesome to the ring, I'm going to bring mine to the ring. It will be a big explosion in the ring. That's his weight class. I'm coming to his weight class, so he feels like he's the man in that weight. So I've got to earn his respect, you know what I'm saying?"

The flip-flopping in the various divisions is a unique challenge to bite off. Welterweight stars such as Sugar Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns stepped up to win heavier titles, but boxing up and down across a spectrum of four weight classes is fairly unheard of at the top level.

"It takes some doing, but we'll be able to work it out," Peterson said of his top-heavy fighter who can easily put on the pounds.

Goossen certainly endorses the challenge.

"Paul's the best in the 147pound division, and willing to become the best going all the way up to 168 pounds," said Goossen, whose promotional motor never stops. "I believe greatness is written all over him. That's why many fighters don't want to step into the ring with him. He will become a very big star in our sport. Just keep on watching."

The opponents Williams hopes to eventually face certainly will be to see how the test goes.