Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reports tonight via Twitter that Paul Williams has found his opponent for January 21, and it's the same guy he almost fought on July 9.
Nobuhiro Ishida (24-6-2, 9 KO) will be across the ring from Williams (40-2, 27 KO) that night, live on Showtime. You will probably recall that Williams vs Ishida was agreed to in May, and signed off on by HBO, before the network pulled the plug on the fight just a couple of days later.
That led to Williams facing Erislandy Lara instead, and getting largely dominated before being on the right end of a robbery in Atlantic City, a decision that ultimately led to the suspension of three ringside judges by the New Jersey commission.
Ishida, 36, is best-known (perhaps only known) for his TKO-1 upset of James Kirkland on April 9, but don't put a ton of stock into that. He's not a puncher and isn't being booked here as a threat.
Erislandy Lara is also being considered for the card, perhaps to set up a Williams vs Lara rematch down the line. Lara did an interview at BoxingScene.com, blasting everyone he could think of, complaining about not getting any fights, and then thanking his manager for being "the best in the business." That was a head-scratcher.
No venue has been announced for the January 21 card.