SUGAR'S PRE-FIGHT

Bert Sugar takes his look at the match-up between Winky Wright and Paul Williams and breaks down the strengths, weaknesses and what each fighter has to do to win.

April 6, 2009 - by Bert Sugar & Steve Small

STRENGTHS OF BOTH FIGHTERS

PAUL WILLIAMS

- At 6'1" and with a boarding-house reach that rivals the wingspan of a 747, Williams has both a sizable height and reach advantage over Wright.

- Williams is far the busier fighter, picking his shots from the outside, sticking and moving and grinding down his opponents before going in for the kill.

- The two-time welterweight champion can alternate between boxing and slugging, depending upon the situation.

WINKY WRIGHT

- Winky possesses an almost impenetrable defense, his opponents needing a crowbar to open him up.

- Has fought more A-List opponents--Hopkins, Mosley (twice) and Quartay--than Williams.

- Wright has a precise jab that picks opponents apart.

- Winky is cagey, making opponents miss (Sam Soliman missed 1000 of his 1260 punches versus Winky), then quick to take advantage of his opponents' mistakes, countering rapidly.

WEAKNESSES OF BOTH FIGHTERS

WILLIAMS

- Is fighting at a heavier weight, middleweight, against a natural middleweight.

- Many of Williams' punches are slaps and cuffs, especially with his right-hand jabs.

- Has a tendency, a la Ali, to hold and push his opponent's head down in clinches rather than fighting inside.

- Williams is open to right hands. For references, see his fight against Antonio Margarito.

- At times has a tendency to be sloppy, holding his hands down and head up, as he did in his first fight versus Carlos Quintana.

WRIGHT - Has not fought in 21 months, since his loss to Bernard Hopkins in July of 2007. and may well show signs of rust.

- Not as heavy-handed as Williams with only 25 KO's in 56 fights.

- Has had moments when he fight less than a whole fight, as witnessed by his non-effort in the last round against Jermain Taylor, costing him both the fight and the championship.

- While he may block the majority of Williams' punches from the outside, he may be too slow to counter if the faster Williams moves out of harm's and Winky's way.

WHAT EACH MUST DO TO WIN

WILLIAMS

- Fight from long range using his 10-inch reach advantage and his faster feet to control the pace and win rounds.

- Don't get sloppy. Williams' only loss as a pro, to Carlos Quintana, was, in part, because he allowed a shorter opponent to fight inside and land wide looping hooks to Williams' head, made all the easier for Quintana because Williams held his hands down and chin up.

- Williams cannot drop his hands but must punch straight and bring his hands back. Williams sometimes drops his jab after throwing it and Wright will look to land his left-hand counters over it.

- He must punch straight between Winky's gloves. Bernard Hopkins showed how to get to Winky by punching between his gloves when he covers up. In the Mosley and Trinidad fights Wright blocked almost every wide hook with his gloves or his shoulders becoming almost unhittable.

WRIGHT

- Counter Williams' mistakes. Williams drop his hands after he punches and pulls his chin up when he moves back. Both of these flaws expose him to counter lefts and right hooks.

- Winky needs to keep using his jab against Williams even though it probably won't be effective, thus disruptive Williams' timing. And, not incidentally, also keep Wright from falling into his normal defensive shell.

- Wright should go to Williams' body inside. Winky is a surprisingly good body puncher and Williams doesn't protect himself well inside. Winky should work the body then double up to the head.

Bert Randolph Sugar is the co-author, with Angelo Dundee, of "My View from the Corner," now on sale at better bookstores everywhere.