ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey, August 18, 2009 (AFP) - Kelly Pavlik's defense of his World Boxing Council middleweight title here against fellow American Paul Williams has been postponed from October 3 to late November or early December.

Promoters said Pavlik has an infection on the middle knuckle of his left hand that requires medical attention.

Pavlik, 35-1 with 31 knockouts, stopped Jermain Taylor in 2007 to claim the crown. He lost a super middleweight bout to Bernard Hopkins last November but bounced back in February by stopping Marco Antonio Rubio in a title defense.

Williams, 37-1 with 27 knockouts, is a southpaw who comes off a unanimous decision victory over Winky Wright in April.

Williams suffered his only loss to Puerto Rico's Carlos Quintana in February 2008 but avenged the defeat four months later.