Paul Williams-Carlos Quintana is set for Feb. 9th (Berto in co-feature)

According to Dan Rafael:

-Williams, 26, will make his first defense against Puerto Rico's Carlos Quintana, who has been tapped as a replacement for the injured Kermit Cintron, on Feb. 9 (HBO) at a site to be determined.

-Welterweight Andre Berto, the 2006 ESPN.com prospect of the year, will meet an opponent to be named in the co-feature.

-They narrowed the field to Quintana, Zab Judah, Luis Collazo and Joshua Clottey. Quintana was the one from the group available and willing to take the fight, which was moved back one week and switched to HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series.

-Berto (20-0, 17 KOs) doesn't have an opponent yet, but the fighters being discussed are Steve Forbes (33-5, 9 KOs), a former junior lightweight titleholder who starred in the second season of "The Contender," Mexico's Miki Rodriguez (29-2, 23 KOs), who has had only two fights in two years, and South Africa's Isaac Hlatshwayo (27-1, 9 KOs).

"Contender" promoter Jeff Wald told ESPN.com that he has been approached about the match but that he hadn't had a chance yet to talk to Forbes about it.

 

Berto picking on bums and little guys. He's about due to step it up to someone live. Steve Forbes would probably give him a tough fight, but he's tiny for a welterweight.

 

that's a pretty good card, imho.

Quintana is a very good boxer and a live opponent. And both of the guys that Berto could be facing have good records, though I have never seen either of them fight.

edit: I have seen Forbes fight, but not the other two.

 

Quintana is a good fighter. But in order to have a chance here he needs to hurt Williams, otherwise he will be outworked and lose a ud.

 

So Berto is taking steps back now? Someone must have promised him a title shot somewhere in the near future. Ugh.

 

For real, those Berto selections are fucking rubbish, I hate it when rather than face a welterweight also-ran or never was, an undersized "name" south of the division is chosen as if it mean anything more

 

Damn, Berto's possible opponents suck.

But is a BAD co-feature.

 

I hope Forbes doesn't take the fight. He's already in a class he doesn't belong in.