Soccer sensation David Beckham will have to wait as world championship boxing returns to the outdoor tennis stadium this weekend as undefeated Paul Williams (34-0) challenges Mexican star Antonio Margarito for the WBO welterweight championship at the Home Depot Center July 14.

The intimate setting will feature a fist of furry in Williams against a typical raging bull in Margarito that could reshape the landscape of the 147-pound division.

Promoter Dan Goosen call Williams the best kept secret in boxing, a fighter who defies the typical feeling out approach in favor of gunslinging as many punches as he can during the three minute rounds.

So far 24 of his opponents have not been able to withstand the onslaught succumbing to knockouts that decorate his splendid resume.

Margarito on the other hand is nicknamed the tornado because of his relentless assault that reminds fans of the most aggressive tropical storm.

Something will certainly have to give on this night when the stakes for the winner could mean a multimillion show down with undefeated Puerto Rican star Miguel Cotto.

Williams, who goes by the moniker “The Punisher”, has compared Margarito to a field mule, clearly upsetting the Mexican champion and igniting the fuse to the tube of dynamite before the actual explosion is to begin.

While, Williams and Margarito are the main entrée on this menu, the under card figures to be equally appealing.

Among the combats on the under card are rising Latin heavyweight Chris Arreola and promising light heavyweight and former Olympic Gold medalist Andre Ward.

Arreola is an unblemished 20 -0 and along with Williams is managed by Al Haymon, the most respected African American manager in boxing.

Ward is also undefeated at 12-0 in a career that has not been jump-started by many of his sub par performances, but he’s hoping that will change on Saturday night.

Local promoter Goosen is just as excited as the many fights fans that are scheduled to attend.

“The anticipation is in the air and the tension is so thick you can cut it with a steak knife,” Goosen told the Sentinel.

“Usually a promoters has to go to the dictionary to come up with as many adjectives as he can to sell tickets, but that is not necessary for this fight. It’s late legal fireworks and for the fighters nothing is safe and sane about it.

Ticket sales have been brisk which in itself is a rarity with so many things to do in Southern California; so don’t wait for the national televison broadcast to find out what happened this time.

Published in : Sports, Boxing