Welterweight Champ Donates Heavyweight Dough

Former two-time WBO Welterweight Boxing Champion Paul Williams is used to knocking out opponents with his two fists. On Tuesday, however, the ex-champ knocked out a pair of local organizations with two very large checks.

In a ceremony at the county detention center, Lexington County Sheriff James Metts accepted a $50,000 donation to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit group that purchases equipment, training and other items for Lexington County Sheriff’s Department deputies that can be difficult to acquire through the governmental budget process.

Some of the money that Williams donated to the foundation will be used to buy equipment for the Sheriff’s Department Aviation Unit and Dive Team, Metts said. Some of the money also will be used to help buy equipment for a training center that the Sheriff’s Department plans to open next year to provide in-service training for law enforcement officers with the Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies in South Carolina.

Additionally, Williams presented a $50,000 check to the West Columbia ministry, House of Praise. In addition to its religious outreach, the House of Praise regularly partners with the Sheriff’s Department in conducting community service projects, such as the annual Sheriff James R. Metts Halloween Trail of Treats and annual Sheriff James R. Metts Catfish Tournament for children.

The boxer's largesse is largely due to the efforts of East Lexington Resident Deputy David Nieves. Nieves met Williams, who is an Aiken native, more than two decades ago when Nieves worked with the Aiken Boxing Club as part of his duties as the manager of the Second Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office juvenile arbitration program, Metts said.

Williams learned to box at the Aiken Boxing Club. Williams went on to have a professional boxing record of 40 wins and two losses. Williams achieved 27 of his wins by knockouts.