Boxer Paul Williams gets Cuban Erislandy Lara in next fight

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Former world welterweight champion Paul Williams will mark his return from a devastating second-round knockout loss to Sergio Martinez in November by fighting unbeaten Cuban fighter Erislandy Lara on July 9 in Atlantic City, N.J., an official close to the fight deal told The Times on Thursday.

Williams (39-2, 27 knockouts) originally was set to fight Nobuhiro Ishida, who scored a surprising first-round knockout of then-unbeaten James Kirkland in April, but HBO rejected Ishida as a main-event fighter on the network.

Lara (15-0-1, 10 KOs) is a two-time world amateur boxing champion who is in the stable of Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions. The southpaw will fight Williams at 154 pounds at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.

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--Lance Pugmire