'Punisher' answers Wright's call

Six names. One taker.

HBO sent a list to Winky Wright with the names of six boxers the network would like to see induce the former world middleweight champion back into the ring.

Augusta native and two-time world champion Vernon Forrest was on the list. So was former middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.

Wright's people called them all, but only one accepted the challenge.

"None of those names other than Paul Williams wanted to fight," Wright said.

Aiken's Williams continues to live up to his creed of fighting anyone at almost any weight willing to step into the ring with him. Saturday night might be his most audacious challenge yet when he faces the indefatigable Wright in a headliner bout at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

The network is billing it as a matchup of the two most avoided boxers in the world. Wright hasn't fought in nearly two years, and Williams has been struggling to get fellow world champions in any of three weight classes to have anything to do with his freakish gifts.

"No one wants to fight either of us," said Wright, who like Williams has held world titles in two different weight classes. "True champions fight each other."

Williams vacated his welterweight and junior middleweight titles to start taking on any comers in every class from 147 to 160 pounds. The Wright fight at 160 comes at the right time for Williams.

"If I wouldn't be fighting him I don't know if I'd be fighting anybody," Williams said.

The two men share that in common. Wright, 37, has built up a record of 51-4-1 (25 knockouts) in a long career that includes notable triumphs over Shane Mosely (twice) and Felix Trinidad.

His last performance was a tough decision loss to Bernard Hopkins at 170 pounds.

He admires the much younger and leaner Williams (36-1, 27 KOs) for being willing to do what few others have done.

"It's always frustrating when you can't get a fight, especially when you see the best fighters out there that are around your weight class avoiding you like the plague," Wright said. "So you know, when you've got a young fighter like Paul with a lot of skills and he wants to prove himself too, that gives boxing hope when you've got a young fighter like him that takes chances and takes opportunities to better themselves."

Wright presents problems for Williams that few others have. Williams goes by the nickname "Punisher" for his aggressive and active style. Wright is just about the polar opposite, a defensive tactician who has been picking apart opponents for nearly two decades with precise jabs.

"I knew it was going to be a big challenge because it's no mystery why other opponents were not fighting Winky," said George Peterson, Williams' trainer. "As a matter of fact, Winky had been one of my favorites for the longest time."

Wright could have eased back into the ring and shaken off the layoff rust with a lesser opponent, but that wasn't the splash he preferred.

"My whole career I wanted to fight the best; I didn't go out searching for the runner up," Wright said. "I'm putting my money where my mouth is, you know, right here with Paul. I didn't come out and try to fight a guy that ain't fought in two years like me or a bum."

Wright's southpaw style and experience are the kinds of qualities that have presented Williams with his most significant tests. The 27-year-old -- who has been sparring with heavyweights -- admits Wright presents "a puzzle I've got to figure out," but he doesn't want to get sucked into fighting Wright's kind of bout.

"I'm not concerned what Winky's going to do and how his defense and all that," Williams said. "I'm just going to get mine in. If I'm waiting on him to step, I'll be out of my game plan. I'm just going to do me."

Williams has grown increasingly frustrated at not be able to attract the marquee title fights he deserves. His promoter Dan Goossen would like to set something up with Mosely -- the recently re-crowned WBA welterweight champ with a knockout win over Antonio Margarito -- should he pull this off against Wright. But Williams is weary of the dance outside the ring.

"I'm not calling out any more guys," Williams said. "If they want me they'll have to call me up from now on."

That's just what Wright did. Williams has the advantage in reach and youth which is why some consider him a 2-to-1 favorite. But the dangerous Wright, like Williams, is looking for this fight to set up even bigger things down the road.

"It's been a long time since I've been this motivated," Wright said. "Paul is one of the top young fighters in the game, but he ain't seen what I've seen or done what I've done. This is my time to shine and I won't let this young fighter steal my spotlight."

That's what Williams desperately hopes to do and why he was the only guy to step up when he got the call.

"I'd love to take his reputation," he said. "That would add to my legacy."

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.