Fear factor may be Williams’ biggest foe

The ongoing revival of boxing, boosted by bouts between the best fighters in the world, has an odd man out.

His name is Paul Williams. He has a 33-0 record with 24 knockouts, a unanimous decision over former welterweight champion Antonio Margarito last July, and the intimidating tools that come with being a frequent-punching, 6-foot-1 southpaw with an 84-inch reach.

Yet, as he prepares to fight Puerto Rico’s Carlos Quintana tonight at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, Williams is perplexed as to why he’s not being mentioned as the next opponent of fellow unbeaten welterweight champions Miguel Cotto or Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Cotto (31-0, 25 knockouts) is training for an April date against former “Contender” fighter Alfonso Gomez and Mayweather (39-0, 25 KOs) is resting before enjoying another mega-payday against Oscar De La Hoya in September.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll get a title shot later this year,” Williams said. “I’m pretty confident no welterweight is as hot as me, and I think after this fight, HBO will push the Cotto people to say, ‘This is the fight people want to see.’ People don’t want to pay good money for a blowout anymore.

“So I’ll give Cotto time to fight Gomez, but I’m definitely chasing down whoever wins.”

The 26-year-old Williams will be making his first World Boxing Organization welterweight title defense against Quintana (24-1, 19 KOs).

Quintana failed to answer the bell for the sixth round of his 2006 fight against Cotto, a bout for the then-vacant World Boxing Assn. welterweight title. In the fifth, Cotto had knocked down Quintana twice.

Originally, Williams was scheduled to fight International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Kermit Cintron this month, but Cintron suffered a hand injury in a fight late last year and had to cancel.

Williams’ promoter, Dan Goossen, mockingly calls Cintron’s injury the “hand flu.” Goossen said he extended Cintron the courtesy of fighting Williams in late March, but was rebuffed. Cintron will now fight Margarito on April 12.

“You can’t depend on a fight happening until you’re both in the ring,” Williams said. “It bothers me a little bit, but now I’m looking straight at [Quintana], and he’ll know right from the start that, ‘This guy’s not sleeping on me.’ ”

Unfortunately, say a few of the sport’s observers, too many boxing fans are sleeping on Williams.

“The risk” of arranging a fight against Williams, said Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Eric Gomez, “does not justify the reward.”

Bob Arum, Cotto’s promoter, projects that if the Puerto Rican star is victorious against Gomez, he will return to the ring in late July against the winner of the Margarito-Cintron fight, not Williams.

“Unlike in other sports, that risk-reward argument is a reality,” HBO veteran boxing analyst Larry Merchant said. “Life isn’t fair in boxing. You’ve got to force your way into the picture, and show you can draw a crowd. The kid [Williams] is a good-looking fighter, I want to see his fight, but it’s also about how many [people] you can put in the seats.”

Goossen is trying to boost his fighter’s name recognition by dubbing him “the most feared man in boxing.” He argues a high-profile bout against Williams would be lucrative for any opponent and in the best interest of the sport.

“That’s total nonsense that he’s feared,” Arum said. “He doesn’t bring enough to the table in box-office magic, because he hasn’t had enough attractive fights. Instead of crying and complaining, he’s got to fight top fighters, someone like [former world champion] Zab Judah.”

If Williams does that, and wins, Arum said, a November date with Cotto is possible.

Arum has worked to continue the momentum of last year’s compelling fight schedule by arranging for his middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik to have a rematch with Jermain Taylor next week, and for popular Manny Pacquiao to fight for Juan Manuel Marquez’s super-featherweight belt in March. Arum also promotes Margarito.

“As for high risk, no reward, that’s just a way for someone to act as if there is no money to fight Paul, which would be incorrect,” Goossen said.

“Margarito had his highest payday fighting Paul -- close to $2 million, higher than what Bob had offered him to fight Cotto.

“Bob can’t have it both ways. Today, make the best possible [fight], and tomorrow, do the exact opposite. . . . Gomez? Margarito? Why would he have Cotto fight [Williams’] loser, when he could have him fight the winner? He’s said the best way to keep the fans coming in droves is to put on the best fights. Either he really means it, or we continue having to chase him.”

Goossen claims Arum, out of convenience, is flip-flopping on the subject of what’s in boxing’s best interest after earlier fighting a Goossen-like battle for respect in defense of Margarito.

In 2006, while comparing Margarito to Marvin Hagler, Arum was quoted as saying: “A fighter like him will bring fans back to the sport. They want to see guys who fight not only with their fists, but their hearts.”

Williams, meanwhile, said he’s maintaining patience. He recently purchased a new home in Georgia with his boxing earnings, and says his position among the stacked group of elite welterweights “is getting to the light now.”

“Just stay tuned,” Williams said. “I’m still young. I know it will come to a head. People know I’m for real now. All I can do is just keep winning. Doors will open up. I’ll wait my turn, and seize the moment.”

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lance.pugmire@latimes.com

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TONIGHT’S FIGHTS

* Paul Williams (33-0, 24 knockouts) vs. Carlos Quintana (24-1, 19 KOs), welterweights.

* Andre Berto (20-0, 17 KOs) vs. Michel Trabant (43-2-1, 19 KOs), welterweights.

* Cris Arreola (22-0, 20 KOs) vs. Cliff Couser (26-14,-2, 14 KOs) heavyweights.

* Where: Pechanga Resort

and Casino.

* TV: 9:45 HBO (delayed).