Tag: Carlos Adames

Weekend Review: Edgar Berlanga unconvincing again, Carlos Adames impressive again

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Edgar Berlanga I’m still not sure what to make of Berlanga. The 168-pounder from Brooklyn stopped his first 16 opponents in the first round only to go the distance in his next five, including …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Edgar Berlanga

I’m still not sure what to make of Berlanga. The 168-pounder from Brooklyn stopped his first 16 opponents in the first round only to go the distance in his next five, including a decision over solid, but limited veteran Jason Quigley on Saturday in New York. He hasn’t been the dominating fighter he appeared to be. At the same time he did manage to put Quigley down four times and won by lopsided scores even though the fleet Irishman’s stick-and-move tactics made him an elusive target. Berlanga deserves credit for that. Here’s the bottom line, though: We won’t know how good Berlanga is until he faces the top fighters at or near his weight. The name Jaime Munguia came up after his victory at The Armory. That could be the perfect opponent for him. Berlanga wouldn’t have to chase the aggressive Mexican as he did Quigley, which portends a compelling toe-to-toe battle between two high-profile sluggers. I would pick Munguia to win that fight but I wouldn’t be surprised if the style matchup brings out the best Berlanga, who is physically strong and punches at last as hard as Munguia does. That could be the ideal opportunity for Berlanga to realize the potential he has flashed.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Carlos Adames

Lost amid a controversial ending was a strong performance by the Dominican middleweight. Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) methodically broke down veteran Julian Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) with a high-powered attack – including relentless body work – before referee Mark Nelson became the story when he stopped the fight in the ninth round Saturday in Minneapolis. Nelson arguably jumped the gun but the truth is the surprisingly resilient Williams had taken a pounding and was hurt badly at the time of the stoppage, which should soften the criticism of Nelson at least to some degree. Adames controlled the fight almost from the outset, which was reflected in the official scoring after eight rounds: 80-72, 78-74 and 77-74 in his favor. And he battered a worn down Williams in the ninth even if you believe Nelson jumped the gun by stopping the fight when he did, with 15 seconds remaining. Adames might’ve finished the job in the next few rounds. If not, he probably would’ve won a clear decision. Either way, Adames’ performance was further evidence that he’s a threat to anyone at 160 pounds.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III
Canelo Alvarez

Canelo Alvarez opened the door to compelling fights by signing with PBC. Meg Oliphant / Matchroom Boxing

Alvarez probably didn’t need to sign a three-fight contract with Premier Boxing Champion to face the management company’s fighters. He took on PBC client Caleb Plant without one. The fact the 168-pound champion did put pen to paper simply makes negotiations easier and reveals Alvarez’s intention to face the best-possible opponents for him. I say, “It’s about time.” He reportedly will open the three-fight set against 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo in September, a matchup that fans will embrace more enthusiastically than he second fight with 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol would have. And it presumably will get better from there. Next up could be unbeaten 168-pound contender David Benavidez, the opponent fans most want Alvarez to face. A few things must happen before we can begin celebrating that matchup. Alvarez and Benavidez have to beat their next opponents (Charlo and David Morrell), which isn’t a given in either case. And, of course, the parties still would have to come to terms. The point here is this: There is more hope than ever that we’ll see Alvarez vs. Benavidez after the future Hall of Famer decided to align himself with PBC.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

I hope that the matchup between Alvarez and Charlo is finalized. And then, if Alvarez wins that fight, I believe he should move directly into a showdown with Benavidez next May if Benavidez gets past Morrell. There are other viable options – Morrell if he beats Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade – but Alvarez-Benavidez is the fight the fans want at this moment. If Alvarez can beat both Charlo and Benavidez, he will regain much of the status he lost in the past year. If not, he will have gained respect for accepting the most difficult challenge in his division. … Did Nelson stop the Adames-Williams fight prematurely? One could make that argument. Williams was able to defend himself at the time of the stoppage. However, that’s not fair to Nelson, who has to make a real-time decision in an effort to protect the fighter. The fact is that Adames had been plastering Williams with one hard shot after another moments before the stoppage. The timing was strange but Nelson probably did save Williams from undue punishment. … Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) evidently didn’t suffer any lingering effects from his knockout loss to Sebastian Fundora 14 months ago. The 154-pound contender dominated tough, but overmatched Luis Arias (20-4-1, 9 KOs) before stopping him in the fifth round on the Adames-Williams card. Lubin remains one of the best offensive fighters in the sport. I won’t be surprised if he wins a major world title sometime soon. …

Joshua Franco (18-2-3, 8 KOs) had a miserable weekend. The Texan lost his WBA 115-pound title on the scales when he came in an unfathomable six-plus pounds over the limit for his defense against Kazuto Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KOs) on Sunday in Japan. He then lost the fight by a unanimous decision, which gave Ioka the belt after he and Franco had fought to a draw in December. The 34-year-old Ioka demonstrated that he remains one of the best in the business. Meanwhile, Franco, citing “mental problems,” announced after the setback that he’s retiring at 27. We wish him the best no matter what he does. … IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs) successfully defended his belt against Jade Bornea (18-1, 12 KOs) by an 11th-round technical knockout on the Adames-Williams card. The ending was gruesome. Martinez landed a left to the side of Bronea’s head in Round 9 that split the Filipino’s right ear open, causing it to bleed profusely. He was allowed to continue but officials decided enough was enough two rounds later. Martinez gave another strong performance, underscoring the notion that he could compete against the other top 115-pounders. That includes Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez, Bam Rodriguez and Ioka. Bornea made a strong impression in defeat, earning himself another big opportunity. … Why doesn’t New York employ instant replay? The second knockdown in the Berlanga-Quigley fight was not a knockdown at all. Quigley slipped, as replays made clear. The mistake on the part of referee Harvey Dock didn’t play a role in the result but it could have. Instant replay isn’t complicated. An official determines a mistake was made based on replays and then simply informs the judges and corners without interrupting the flow of the fight.

[lawrence-related id=37924,37911,37905,37896,37894,37891]

Weekend Review: Edgar Berlanga unconvincing again, Carlos Adames impressive again

A critical look at the past week in boxing BIGGEST WINNER Edgar Berlanga I’m still not sure what to make of Berlanga. The 168-pounder from Brooklyn stopped his first 16 opponents in the first round only to go the distance in his next five, including …

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST WINNER
Edgar Berlanga

I’m still not sure what to make of Berlanga. The 168-pounder from Brooklyn stopped his first 16 opponents in the first round only to go the distance in his next five, including a decision over solid, but limited veteran Jason Quigley on Saturday in New York. He hasn’t been the dominating fighter he appeared to be. At the same time he did manage to put Quigley down four times and won by lopsided scores even though the fleet Irishman’s stick-and-move tactics made him an elusive target. Berlanga deserves credit for that. Here’s the bottom line, though: We won’t know how good Berlanga is until he faces the top fighters at or near his weight. The name Jaime Munguia came up after his victory at The Armory. That could be the perfect opponent for him. Berlanga wouldn’t have to chase the aggressive Mexican as he did Quigley, which portends a compelling toe-to-toe battle between two high-profile sluggers. I would pick Munguia to win that fight but I wouldn’t be surprised if the style matchup brings out the best Berlanga, who is physically strong and punches at last as hard as Munguia does. That could be the ideal opportunity for Berlanga to realize the potential he has flashed.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Carlos Adames

Lost amid a controversial ending was a strong performance by the Dominican middleweight. Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) methodically broke down veteran Julian Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) with a high-powered attack – including relentless body work – before referee Mark Nelson became the story when he stopped the fight in the ninth round Saturday in Minneapolis. Nelson arguably jumped the gun but the truth is the surprisingly resilient Williams had taken a pounding and was hurt badly at the time of the stoppage, which should soften the criticism of Nelson at least to some degree. Adames controlled the fight almost from the outset, which was reflected in the official scoring after eight rounds: 80-72, 78-74 and 77-74 in his favor. And he battered a worn down Williams in the ninth even if you believe Nelson jumped the gun by stopping the fight when he did, with 15 seconds remaining. Adames might’ve finished the job in the next few rounds. If not, he probably would’ve won a clear decision. Either way, Adames’ performance was further evidence that he’s a threat to anyone at 160 pounds.

 

BIGGEST WINNER III
Canelo Alvarez

Canelo Alvarez opened the door to compelling fights by signing with PBC. Meg Oliphant / Matchroom Boxing

Alvarez probably didn’t need to sign a three-fight contract with Premier Boxing Champion to face the management company’s fighters. He took on PBC client Caleb Plant without one. The fact the 168-pound champion did put pen to paper simply makes negotiations easier and reveals Alvarez’s intention to face the best-possible opponents for him. I say, “It’s about time.” He reportedly will open the three-fight set against 160-pound titleholder Jermall Charlo in September, a matchup that fans will embrace more enthusiastically than he second fight with 175-pound champ Dmitry Bivol would have. And it presumably will get better from there. Next up could be unbeaten 168-pound contender David Benavidez, the opponent fans most want Alvarez to face. A few things must happen before we can begin celebrating that matchup. Alvarez and Benavidez have to beat their next opponents (Charlo and David Morrell), which isn’t a given in either case. And, of course, the parties still would have to come to terms. The point here is this: There is more hope than ever that we’ll see Alvarez vs. Benavidez after the future Hall of Famer decided to align himself with PBC.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

I hope that the matchup between Alvarez and Charlo is finalized. And then, if Alvarez wins that fight, I believe he should move directly into a showdown with Benavidez next May if Benavidez gets past Morrell. There are other viable options – Morrell if he beats Benavidez and Demetrius Andrade – but Alvarez-Benavidez is the fight the fans want at this moment. If Alvarez can beat both Charlo and Benavidez, he will regain much of the status he lost in the past year. If not, he will have gained respect for accepting the most difficult challenge in his division. … Did Nelson stop the Adames-Williams fight prematurely? One could make that argument. Williams was able to defend himself at the time of the stoppage. However, that’s not fair to Nelson, who has to make a real-time decision in an effort to protect the fighter. The fact is that Adames had been plastering Williams with one hard shot after another moments before the stoppage. The timing was strange but Nelson probably did save Williams from undue punishment. … Erickson Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) evidently didn’t suffer any lingering effects from his knockout loss to Sebastian Fundora 14 months ago. The 154-pound contender dominated tough, but overmatched Luis Arias (20-4-1, 9 KOs) before stopping him in the fifth round on the Adames-Williams card. Lubin remains one of the best offensive fighters in the sport. I won’t be surprised if he wins a major world title sometime soon. …

Joshua Franco (18-2-3, 8 KOs) had a miserable weekend. The Texan lost his WBA 115-pound title on the scales when he came in an unfathomable six-plus pounds over the limit for his defense against Kazuto Ioka (30-2-1, 15 KOs) on Sunday in Japan. He then lost the fight by a unanimous decision, which gave Ioka the belt after he and Franco had fought to a draw in December. The 34-year-old Ioka demonstrated that he remains one of the best in the business. Meanwhile, Franco, citing “mental problems,” announced after the setback that he’s retiring at 27. We wish him the best no matter what he does. … IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs) successfully defended his belt against Jade Bornea (18-1, 12 KOs) by an 11th-round technical knockout on the Adames-Williams card. The ending was gruesome. Martinez landed a left to the side of Bronea’s head in Round 9 that split the Filipino’s right ear open, causing it to bleed profusely. He was allowed to continue but officials decided enough was enough two rounds later. Martinez gave another strong performance, underscoring the notion that he could compete against the other top 115-pounders. That includes Juan Francisco Estrada, Roman Gonzalez, Bam Rodriguez and Ioka. Bornea made a strong impression in defeat, earning himself another big opportunity. … Why doesn’t New York employ instant replay? The second knockdown in the Berlanga-Quigley fight was not a knockdown at all. Quigley slipped, as replays made clear. The mistake on the part of referee Harvey Dock didn’t play a role in the result but it could have. Instant replay isn’t complicated. An official determines a mistake was made based on replays and then simply informs the judges and corners without interrupting the flow of the fight.

[lawrence-related id=37924,37911,37905,37896,37894,37891]

You be judge: Was Carlos Adames-Julian Williams bout stopped too soon?

You be judge: Was Carlos Adames-Julian Williams bout stopped too soon?

Was the Carlos Adames-Julian Williams 160-pound fight stopped too soon Saturday in Minneapolis?

Referee Mark Nelson ended the action in the ninth round, giving Adames a knockout victory. Some say Nelson did  his job by protecting Williams. Others say Williams could’ve continued.

Check out the video below and make up your own mind.

[lawrence-related id=37911]

You be judge: Was Carlos Adames-Julian Williams bout stopped too soon?

You be judge: Was Carlos Adames-Julian Williams bout stopped too soon?

Was the Carlos Adames-Julian Williams 160-pound fight stopped too soon Saturday in Minneapolis?

Referee Mark Nelson ended the action in the ninth round, giving Adames a knockout victory. Some say Nelson did  his job by protecting Williams. Others say Williams could’ve continued.

Check out the video below and make up your own mind.

[lawrence-related id=37911]

Carlos Adames knocks out Julian Williams in ninth round

Carlos Adames knocked out Julian Williams in the ninth round Saturday but the stoppage was controversial.

Bad stoppage?

That will be debated after referee Mark Nelson waved off the Carlos Adames-Julian Williams fight in the ninth round Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis, giving Adames a knockout victory.

What is clear is that Adames, the WBC’s top 160-pound contender, gave a strong performance against a seasoned, determined opponent who came to win.

Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) took the fight to Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) from about the second round on, consistently pounding William’s body but also landing sharp punches to the head throughout the entertaining fight.

The fourth round was particularly one-sided, as Adames landed a barrage of hard shots that forced Williams to hold in an attempt to survive.

Not only did Williams make it to the bell, he soon made it clear that he wasn’t going to give in that easily. Having recovered, he matched Adames punch for punch in brutal exchanges in the fifth round and beyond.

The former 154-pound titleholder had one of his better rounds in the eighth, which seemed to leave the outcome in doubt going into the ninth.

Then came disaster for the veteran contender. Adames hurt him in the middle of the round with a right hand and then battered him around the ring, forcing him back into survival mode as Nelson looked on closely.

Williams managed to stay on his feet again but he had taken considerable punishment. And Adames kept coming, although Williams, with his back to ropes in the final seconds of action, seemed to be fighting back.

Still, Nelson chose that moment to jump in and stop the fight with 15 seconds remaining in the round. He said afterward that he was trying to prevent Williams from getting seriously injured.

That explanation didn’t satisfy Williams and trainer Breadman Ewards, the latter of whom was livid after the fight.

““[The referee] couldn’t say nothing to me,” Edwards said. “I told him it was a was a typical A-side stoppage. It was a good fight. He was hurt and I’m not saying he wasn’t hurt, but a fight like this, a man not going down, they’re going back and forth.

“If he’s the killer that they say he is let him finish him. He was tired too. But it’s always predictable, it’s always the A-side that gets the same s—. [Williams] may not even have no more fights. At least let the fight go.

“[Williams] was down one time in the fight. [Adames] is supposed to be the most feared man in boxing, he never went down. Let him finish him if he’s going to finish him.”

Williams had a look of disgust on his face immediately after Nelson ended the fight but he was more fatalistic than his trainer.

“I think it was a terrible stoppage,” he said, “but what can I do. I’m healthy I feel fine. I thought it was a terrible stoppage. I thought it was pretty much even and I was taking over while he was getting tired. But what can I do?”

Meanwhile, Adames, who jumped for joy when the fight was stopped, supported Nelson.

“I think the referee stopped it because [Williams] could have really got hurt,” said Adames, who went on. “That’s when the referee stopped it, when I came with those two rights. If I would’ve hit him with another one, he probably would’ve gotten really hurt.”

Williams, 33, believes he deserves another shot at Adames.

“Of course I want a rematch,” he said. “It’s not his fault that the ref jumped in early. It looked corny. It looked bad. It was a great fight. … And the ref jumps in and stops it because I got a little bit buzzed. It’s boxing.”

The victory brings Adames closer to his first major title fight, which could come next if WBC champion Jermall Charlo vacates his title before fighting 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez in September.

However, he chose not to discuss his future in detail.

“I’m going to rest for a little bit,” he said, “and see what’s next.”

Carlos Adames knocks out Julian Williams in ninth round

Carlos Adames knocked out Julian Williams in the ninth round Saturday but the stoppage was controversial.

Bad stoppage?

That will be debated after referee Mark Nelson waved off the Carlos Adames-Julian Williams fight in the ninth round Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis, giving Adames a knockout victory.

What is clear is that Adames, the WBC’s top 160-pound contender, gave a strong performance against a seasoned, determined opponent who came to win.

Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) took the fight to Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) from about the second round on, consistently pounding William’s body but also landing sharp punches to the head throughout the entertaining fight.

The fourth round was particularly one-sided, as Adames landed a barrage of hard shots that forced Williams to hold in an attempt to survive.

Not only did Williams make it to the bell, he soon made it clear that he wasn’t going to give in that easily. Having recovered, he matched Adames punch for punch in brutal exchanges in the fifth round and beyond.

The former 154-pound titleholder had one of his better rounds in the eighth, which seemed to leave the outcome in doubt going into the ninth.

Then came disaster for the veteran contender. Adames hurt him in the middle of the round with a right hand and then battered him around the ring, forcing him back into survival mode as Nelson looked on closely.

Williams managed to stay on his feet again but he had taken considerable punishment. And Adames kept coming, although Williams, with his back to ropes in the final seconds of action, seemed to be fighting back.

Still, Nelson chose that moment to jump in and stop the fight with 15 seconds remaining in the round. He said afterward that he was trying to prevent Williams from getting seriously injured.

That explanation didn’t satisfy Williams and trainer Breadman Ewards, the latter of whom was livid after the fight.

““[The referee] couldn’t say nothing to me,” Edwards said. “I told him it was a was a typical A-side stoppage. It was a good fight. He was hurt and I’m not saying he wasn’t hurt, but a fight like this, a man not going down, they’re going back and forth.

“If he’s the killer that they say he is let him finish him. He was tired too. But it’s always predictable, it’s always the A-side that gets the same s—. [Williams] may not even have no more fights. At least let the fight go.

“[Williams] was down one time in the fight. [Adames] is supposed to be the most feared man in boxing, he never went down. Let him finish him if he’s going to finish him.”

Williams had a look of disgust on his face immediately after Nelson ended the fight but he was more fatalistic than his trainer.

“I think it was a terrible stoppage,” he said, “but what can I do. I’m healthy I feel fine. I thought it was a terrible stoppage. I thought it was pretty much even and I was taking over while he was getting tired. But what can I do?”

Meanwhile, Adames, who jumped for joy when the fight was stopped, supported Nelson.

“I think the referee stopped it because [Williams] could have really got hurt,” said Adames, who went on. “That’s when the referee stopped it, when I came with those two rights. If I would’ve hit him with another one, he probably would’ve gotten really hurt.”

Williams, 33, believes he deserves another shot at Adames.

“Of course I want a rematch,” he said. “It’s not his fault that the ref jumped in early. It looked corny. It looked bad. It was a great fight. … And the ref jumps in and stops it because I got a little bit buzzed. It’s boxing.”

The victory brings Adames closer to his first major title fight, which could come next if WBC champion Jermall Charlo vacates his title before fighting 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez in September.

However, he chose not to discuss his future in detail.

“I’m going to rest for a little bit,” he said, “and see what’s next.”

Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Middleweight contender Carlos Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) stopped former 154-pound titleholder Julian Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) in the ninth round of their scheduled 12-rounder.

You can read a full report here.

***

Junior middleweight contender Erickson Lubin knocked out Luis Arias at 2:11 of the fifth round of a scheduled 10-round bout.

Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) had his way with Arias (20-4-1, 9 KOs) from the beginning, picking apart the underdog with a variety of punches and taking little in return.

Lubin finally put Arias down with a short right to the side of the head in Round 5. Arias failed to beat the count.

Lubin was coming off a ninth-round knockout loss against Sebastian Fundora in April of last year, meaning he had been out of the ring for 14 months.

***

IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez stopped Jade Bornea 29 seconds into the 11th round of a bloody, competitive fight to retain his belt.

The aggressive Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs) had his hands full with his Filipino opponent, who did a good job of keeping the champion at a distance and landing sharp blows from the outside.

However, Martinez did progressively more damage in the second half of the fight. The decisive blow was a left to the side of Bornea’s head in Round 9, which split Bornea’s right ear open and caused extensive bleeding.

Bornea (18-1, 12 KOs) was allowed to continue fighting but the referee decided in Round 11 that he needed to protect the challenger and stopped the fight.

Martinez, from Argentina, was making the second defense of the title he won by outpointing Jerwin Ancajas in February of last year.

***

Middleweight contenders Carlos Adames and Julian Williams are scheduled to face off tonight (Saturday) at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).

The featured bouts on the card begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post the results of the main event and other featured bouts immediately after they end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the day of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=37882,37867,33207]

Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams: LIVE updates, results, full coverage

Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams: LIVE updates, results, full coverage.

Middleweight contender Carlos Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) stopped former 154-pound titleholder Julian Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) in the ninth round of their scheduled 12-rounder.

You can read a full report here.

***

Junior middleweight contender Erickson Lubin knocked out Luis Arias at 2:11 of the fifth round of a scheduled 10-round bout.

Lubin (25-2, 18 KOs) had his way with Arias (20-4-1, 9 KOs) from the beginning, picking apart the underdog with a variety of punches and taking little in return.

Lubin finally put Arias down with a short right to the side of the head in Round 5. Arias failed to beat the count.

Lubin was coming off a ninth-round knockout loss against Sebastian Fundora in April of last year, meaning he had been out of the ring for 14 months.

***

IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez stopped Jade Bornea 29 seconds into the 11th round of a bloody, competitive fight to retain his belt.

The aggressive Martinez (16-0, 9 KOs) had his hands full with his Filipino opponent, who did a good job of keeping the champion at a distance and landing sharp blows from the outside.

However, Martinez did progressively more damage in the second half of the fight. The decisive blow was a left to the side of Bornea’s head in Round 9, which split Bornea’s right ear open and caused extensive bleeding.

Bornea (18-1, 12 KOs) was allowed to continue fighting but the referee decided in Round 11 that he needed to protect the challenger and stopped the fight.

Martinez, from Argentina, was making the second defense of the title he won by outpointing Jerwin Ancajas in February of last year.

***

Middleweight contenders Carlos Adames and Julian Williams are scheduled to face off tonight (Saturday) at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).

The featured bouts on the card begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post the results of the main event and other featured bouts immediately after they end. Simply return to this post and refresh when the time comes.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the day of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=37882,37867,33207]

Carlos Adames’ only loss was wake up call, ignited impressive run

Carlos Adames’ only loss was a wake up call and ignited an impressive run toward the top of the middleweight division.

The worst night in the career of Carlos Adames might’ve been his most productive.

Adames, the 160-pound contender who will face Julian Williams on Saturday, hit the canvas and lost a close, but unanimous decision to future champion Patrick Teixeira for an “interim” 154-pound belt in November 2019.

The setback, the first in Adames’ career, was disappointing but it changed his life. The New York-based Dominican realized that he couldn’t take anything or anyone for granted and changed his approach to boxing accordingly.

As a result, he’s on the precipice of his first shot at world title.

“That fight taught me so much,” Adames told me through a translator on The PBC Podcast. “It made me the person I am today. I’m thankful for that fight. You may ask me why. It taught me to be disciplined. … Sometimes you have to learn that lesson the hard way.

“It also taught me that there are no easy or weak opponents. You have to take each and every opponent seriously. It also allowed me to see that the people in my corner were not the people I needed any more. They didn’t fit what my philosophy was, what my goals were.

“It allowed me to change that and be with the team (including trainer Bob Santos) that took me on the path I’m on today.”

Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) took more than a year off after the setback against Teixeira, a period in which he left promoter Top Rank. He then reeled off four consecutive victories, including his first two as a full-fledged middleweight.

He outpointed tricky, rugged veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko in December 2021, a break through for him. He followed that with a brutal third-round knockout of Juan Macias Montiel last October.

As a result, he became the WBC’s top challenger for Jermall Charlo’s title. A victory over Williams on Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime) could lead directly to a fight with Charlo, although the champion is rumored to be a potential opponent for 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez.

“Like I mentioned before, that Teixeira fight was before and after in my life. It parted the waters,” said Adames, whose nickname is ‘Bronco.’ “… I’m a problem for the 160-pound division now. It’s because of all the work I’ve put in since [the loss].

“Trust me, Bronco is ready to gallop. The 160-pound division better be ready because I’m going to cause all sorts of havoc. I’m here to stay.”

Yes, Adames is confident. Maybe that’s one reason he’ll be fighting a talented former champion in Williams instead of a tune-up opponent as his team works on getting him an opportunity to fight for a major world title.

Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs) has had recent setbacks that have threatened his career – a knockout loss to Jeison Rosario in 2020 and decision against Vladimir Hernandez in 2021 – but everyone agrees he’s an excellent fighter when he’s at his best.

Why take such a potentially difficult fight?

“It’s about going after the biggest challenges,” Adames said. “I’m always telling my promoter, my company: Give me the toughest challenges. That’s the only way you can find out if you’re here for the long run or not.

“That’s what I want to do. I want to see if I’m here for the long run or not. … I want to prove myself, I want to see what I’ve got.”

He believes that fans will see that he has a lot on Saturday.

He insisted that he’s not underestimating Williams, who once outpointed Jarret Hurd. However, he sees a glaring weakness in the Philadelphia fighter that he expects to exploit. He suggests that those watching the fight don’t blink.

“[He has] a weak chin, really,” Adames said. “It will be interesting to see what a weak chin like his does against a powerful puncher like me. It will be an explosive combination. I’m really intrigued to see how he reacts when that kind of explosion happens in the ring.”

[lawrence-related id=37867,33207,26537,37877]

Carlos Adames’ only loss was wake up call, ignited impressive run

Carlos Adames’ only loss was a wake up call and ignited an impressive run toward the top of the middleweight division.

The worst night in the career of Carlos Adames might’ve been his most productive.

Adames, the 160-pound contender who will face Julian Williams on Saturday, hit the canvas and lost a close, but unanimous decision to future champion Patrick Teixeira for an “interim” 154-pound belt in November 2019.

The setback, the first in Adames’ career, was disappointing but it changed his life. The New York-based Dominican realized that he couldn’t take anything or anyone for granted and changed his approach to boxing accordingly.

As a result, he’s on the precipice of his first shot at world title.

“That fight taught me so much,” Adames told me through a translator on The PBC Podcast. “It made me the person I am today. I’m thankful for that fight. You may ask me why. It taught me to be disciplined. … Sometimes you have to learn that lesson the hard way.

“It also taught me that there are no easy or weak opponents. You have to take each and every opponent seriously. It also allowed me to see that the people in my corner were not the people I needed any more. They didn’t fit what my philosophy was, what my goals were.

“It allowed me to change that and be with the team (including trainer Bob Santos) that took me on the path I’m on today.”

Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) took more than a year off after the setback against Teixeira, a period in which he left promoter Top Rank. He then reeled off four consecutive victories, including his first two as a full-fledged middleweight.

He outpointed tricky, rugged veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko in December 2021, a break through for him. He followed that with a brutal third-round knockout of Juan Macias Montiel last October.

As a result, he became the WBC’s top challenger for Jermall Charlo’s title. A victory over Williams on Saturday at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime) could lead directly to a fight with Charlo, although the champion is rumored to be a potential opponent for 168-pound champ Canelo Alvarez.

“Like I mentioned before, that Teixeira fight was before and after in my life. It parted the waters,” said Adames, whose nickname is ‘Bronco.’ “… I’m a problem for the 160-pound division now. It’s because of all the work I’ve put in since [the loss].

“Trust me, Bronco is ready to gallop. The 160-pound division better be ready because I’m going to cause all sorts of havoc. I’m here to stay.”

Yes, Adames is confident. Maybe that’s one reason he’ll be fighting a talented former champion in Williams instead of a tune-up opponent as his team works on getting him an opportunity to fight for a major world title.

Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs) has had recent setbacks that have threatened his career – a knockout loss to Jeison Rosario in 2020 and decision against Vladimir Hernandez in 2021 – but everyone agrees he’s an excellent fighter when he’s at his best.

Why take such a potentially difficult fight?

“It’s about going after the biggest challenges,” Adames said. “I’m always telling my promoter, my company: Give me the toughest challenges. That’s the only way you can find out if you’re here for the long run or not.

“That’s what I want to do. I want to see if I’m here for the long run or not. … I want to prove myself, I want to see what I’ve got.”

He believes that fans will see that he has a lot on Saturday.

He insisted that he’s not underestimating Williams, who once outpointed Jarret Hurd. However, he sees a glaring weakness in the Philadelphia fighter that he expects to exploit. He suggests that those watching the fight don’t blink.

“[He has] a weak chin, really,” Adames said. “It will be interesting to see what a weak chin like his does against a powerful puncher like me. It will be an explosive combination. I’m really intrigued to see how he reacts when that kind of explosion happens in the ring.”

[lawrence-related id=37867,33207,26537,37877]