Paul Williams.

ATLANTA -- In a decorated career in the boxing ring, Paul Williams picked up three belts and the nickname, "The Punisher." Now, Williams has a bigger fight ahead.

After a Sunday morning motorcycle crash near Atlanta, Williams is likely paralyzed from the waist down.

Manager George Peterson told News 12 that he's in the hospital with a surgery scheduled for Wednesday. That surgery will be to stabilize the healthy upper half of his spine by putting a protective wall around it.

Williams was schedule to fight Saul Alvarez for the WBC Light Middleweight title Sept. 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The product of the Aiken Boxing Club has a career record of 41-2-0, with 27 knockouts. He's the two-time holder of the WBO Welterweight championship and has held the WBO Light Middleweight belt once.

News 12 will keep you updated on any developments in this story.

Manager George Peterson has confirmed a report by Augusta, Georgia’s WRDW-TV that southpaw former two-time welterweight titleholder Paul Williams was involved in a motorcycle accident on Sunday near Atlanta that has rendered the fighter paralyzed from the waist down.

Peterson corroborated the initial report that Williams' crash occurred on Sunday morning. Peterson said Williams is hospitalized with surgery scheduled for Wednesday that is intended to stabilize the healthy upper half of the fighter's spine by putting a protective wall around it.

"That's to protect the remainder of his spinal cord, and that will enable him to use his upper body movements," said Peterson. "But from the waist down, though, his movement is totally gone. He won't be able to walk again."

Peterson told RingTV.com that his assessment of Williams' condition was made by a doctor.

"We're going through this healing process, and we don't care whether or not he will ever box again," said Peterson. "Our immediate concerns are seeing Paul heal to the point where he can be moble. Other than that, Paul is in an excellent frame of mind and he's in excellent condition, mentally."

In a bout that is being promoted by Williams' promoter, Dan Goossen, in association with Golden Boy Promotions' CEO Richard Schaefer and President Oscar De La Hoya, Williams (41-2, 27 KOs) was scheduled to challenge WBC junior middleweight beltholder Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (40-0-1, 29 KOs) on Sept. 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on a pay per view network to be determined.

BoxingFan88 wrote:Williams reportedly invested his boxing winnings wisely, so hopefully he will have enough money.

alma wrote:

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:Boxing has become one sad story after another recently. I hope he pulls through and makes a full recovery.

I was looking forward to him v Canelo aswell.

general consensus is he'll never walk again

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:

alma wrote:

Soldier_Of_Fortune wrote:Boxing has become one sad story after another recently. I hope he pulls through and makes a full recovery.

I was looking forward to him v Canelo aswell.

general consensus is he'll never walk again

I know I heard, I think that was under the first prognosis. After surgery they will know the full extent. You do hear of some stories were people are told they will never walk again and miraculously develop movement and eventually learn to walk again.

Just hope he's one of the lucky ones!