Julian Williams said he has put the past behind him and is focused on regaining the status he once had.
Julian Williams wouldn’t describe his fight with Carlos Adames on Saturday as do-or-die for him.
The former 140-pound titleholder doesn’t need that kind of pressure. The reality is clear, though: He’s not going to get too many more opportunities like this one at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).
Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs) plunged from a pound-for-pound candidate after upsetting Jarret Hurd to win his belt in 2019 to an afterthought after a knockout loss to Jeison Rosario in his first defense and split-decision setback against Vladimir Hernandez in his next fight.
The fight with Adames is an opportunity – perhaps his last – to recapture what he once had.
“That’s exactly how I’m looking at it,” he told Boxing Junkie on Tuesday.
What went wrong in those losses?
Williams didn’t want to discuss that, other than to say it was “an accumulation of a couple of things.” He just wants you to know that he has made the necessary adjustments in his preparation.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what happened in the past,” he said. “What matters is that I didn’t get the ‘W’ I was supposed to get. What matters is what’s happening afterwards.
“… I didn’t let it get me down too much. Nobody cares who is down, who is depressed. You gotta keep going.”
Williams is only 33, an age when most fighters are still near their peak abilities.
He said he feels good physically. Why not? He has fought only four times in the past four years. And while he has been stopped twice (Jermall Charlo in 2016 and Rosario in 2020) he has never taken a beating.
How is he emotionally? He acknowledged that his setbacks were disappointing. At the same time, as he said, there’s no point in dwelling in the past.
He has been working diligently to regain his form. That was evident in his most-recent fight, a shutout decision over Rolando Mansilla in his first fight as a full-fledged 160-pounder in November at The Armory.
He said that was only a first step, though, a chance to shed rust after a 13-month layoff. The best, he said, is yet to come. He expects to beat Adames and ultimately become a two-division beltholder.
“I think it will all come together on Saturday night,” he said.
One more thing: He doesn’t care what his doubters think.
“If I listened to people in the past,” he said, “about what people think of me, the ups and downs, I never would’ve been a world champion in the first place.”
Julian Williams said he has put the past behind him and is focused on regaining the status he once had.
Julian Williams wouldn’t describe his fight with Carlos Adames on Saturday as do-or-die for him.
The former 140-pound titleholder doesn’t need that kind of pressure. The reality is clear, though: He’s not going to get too many more opportunities like this one at The Armory in Minneapolis (Showtime).
Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs) plunged from a pound-for-pound candidate after upsetting Jarret Hurd to win his belt in 2019 to an afterthought after a knockout loss to Jeison Rosario in his first defense and split-decision setback against Vladimir Hernandez in his next fight.
The fight with Adames is an opportunity – perhaps his last – to recapture what he once had.
“That’s exactly how I’m looking at it,” he told Boxing Junkie on Tuesday.
What went wrong in those losses?
Williams didn’t want to discuss that, other than to say it was “an accumulation of a couple of things.” He just wants you to know that he has made the necessary adjustments in his preparation.
“At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter what happened in the past,” he said. “What matters is that I didn’t get the ‘W’ I was supposed to get. What matters is what’s happening afterwards.
“… I didn’t let it get me down too much. Nobody cares who is down, who is depressed. You gotta keep going.”
Williams is only 33, an age when most fighters are still near their peak abilities.
He said he feels good physically. Why not? He has fought only four times in the past four years. And while he has been stopped twice (Jermall Charlo in 2016 and Rosario in 2020) he has never taken a beating.
How is he emotionally? He acknowledged that his setbacks were disappointing. At the same time, as he said, there’s no point in dwelling in the past.
He has been working diligently to regain his form. That was evident in his most-recent fight, a shutout decision over Rolando Mansilla in his first fight as a full-fledged 160-pounder in November at The Armory.
He said that was only a first step, though, a chance to shed rust after a 13-month layoff. The best, he said, is yet to come. He expects to beat Adames and ultimately become a two-division beltholder.
“I think it will all come together on Saturday night,” he said.
One more thing: He doesn’t care what his doubters think.
“If I listened to people in the past,” he said, “about what people think of me, the ups and downs, I never would’ve been a world champion in the first place.”
Fight Week: Edgar Berlanga vs. Jason Quigley and Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams highlight a busy weekend.
FIGHT WEEK
Super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga will take on Jason Quigley in his ongoing pursuit of a title shot. Meanwhile, rising 160-pounder Carlos Adames will face a test against Julian Williams.
EDGAR BERLANGA (20-0, 16 KOs) VS. JASON QUIGLEY (20-2, 14 KOs)
Date: Saturday, June 24
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Berlanga 85-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Reshat Mati vs. Dakota Linger, junior welterweights; Adam Kownacki vs. Joe Cusumano, heavyweights
Prediction: Berlanga KO 10
Background: Berlanga is far removed from his streak of 16 knockouts to start his professional career but he has continued to win, claiming his last four victories by decision. He last fought in June of last year, when he defeated Roamer Alexis Angulo by a one-sided decision. Berlanga inexplicably bit Angulo in that fight and was later suspended. He’s ranked in the Top 11 by all four major sanctioning bodies, No. 3 by the IBF. That means a title shot is on the horizon unless he slips up. Quigley is a solid boxer but probably doesn’t have the firepower to upset Berlanga. The one-time silver medalist in the amateur World Championships from Ireland was stopped by Tureano Johnson in July 2019 but bounced back to win three in a row, including a majority decision over Shane Mosley Jr. at 160 in May 2021. He then was blown out in two rounds by then-middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade, which seemed to expose his limitations. He moved back up to 168 after the loss and shut out Gabor Gorbics this past April.
CARLOS ADAMES (22-1, 17 KOs) VS. JULIAN WILLIAMS (28-3-1, 16 KOs)
Date: Saturday, June 24
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Odds: Adames 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Erickson Lubin vs. Luis Arias, junior middleweights; Fernando Martinez vs. Jade Bornea, junior bantamweights (for Martinez’s IBF title)
Prediction: Adames UD
Background: Adames, a top 160-pound contender, is on the precipice of a title shot. The 29-year-old boxer-puncher from the Dominican Republic lost a close decision to slick Patrick Teixeira for an “interim” title in November 2019 but learned from the experience. He has reeled off four consecutive victories since the setback, including a breakthrough majority decision over veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko in December 2021 and a third-round knockout of Juan Montiel this past October. Williams, 33, might be in a do-or-die situation. The polished technician from Philadelphia outclassed Jarret Hurd to become a 154-pound champion in May 2019 but has struggled since. He was stopped in five rounds by Jeison Rosario in his first defense and lost a split decision to Vladimir Hernandez in his next fight. He last fought in November, when he outpointed journeyman Rolando Mansilla in his first fight as a full-fledged 160-pounder. If he loses to Adames, he could be finished as an elite fighter.
Time: 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo
TV/Stream: No TV in U.S.
Division: Junior bantamweight (115 pounds)
At stake: Franco’s WBA title
Odds: Even (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Musashi Mori vs. Takuya Watanabe, junior lightweights; Daigo Higa vs. Sirichai Thaiyen, bantamweights
Prediction: Ioka SD
Background: Franco and Ioka fought to a majority draw in a title-unification showdown in December in the same venue in Ioka’s country, with Franco winning on one card and the other two judges scoring the fight a draw. Franco is the younger (27), rising fighter after back-to-back victories over Andrew Moloney (not counting a no-contest in between those fights) and the draw with Ioka. The well-schooled boxer from Texas hasn’t lost since he was stopped by Lucas Fernandez in 2018, although he has three draws since then (Oscar Negrete twice and Ioka). He outpointed Negrete in the second of their three compelling bouts. Ioka, a 34-year-old former three-division titleholder, proved he has plenty of fight left in him by easily outpointing Donnie Nietes last July in the final defense of his WBO belt (which he later gave up) and the draw with Franco. Nietes had defeated Ioka by a split decision in December 2018, the Japanese star’s most-recent setback. The Franco-Ioka show is not available to American fans as of this posting.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
FRIDAY
Jesus Saracho vs. Tarik Zaina, junior welterweights, Ontario, California (Thompson Boxing YouTube and Facebook)
SATURDAY
Sarah Bormann vs. Perla Perez, strawweights, Ludwigsburg, German (DAZN)
Antonio Napolitano vs. Brandon Brewer, super middleweights, Niagra Falls, Canada (FITE)
Fight Week: Edgar Berlanga vs. Jason Quigley and Carlos Adames vs. Julian Williams highlight a busy weekend.
FIGHT WEEK
Super middleweight contender Edgar Berlanga will take on Jason Quigley in his ongoing pursuit of a title shot. Meanwhile, rising 160-pounder Carlos Adames will face a test against Julian Williams.
EDGAR BERLANGA (20-0, 16 KOs) VS. JASON QUIGLEY (20-2, 14 KOs)
Date: Saturday, June 24
Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Odds: Berlanga 85-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Reshat Mati vs. Dakota Linger, junior welterweights; Adam Kownacki vs. Joe Cusumano, heavyweights
Prediction: Berlanga KO 10
Background: Berlanga is far removed from his streak of 16 knockouts to start his professional career but he has continued to win, claiming his last four victories by decision. He last fought in June of last year, when he defeated Roamer Alexis Angulo by a one-sided decision. Berlanga inexplicably bit Angulo in that fight and was later suspended. He’s ranked in the Top 11 by all four major sanctioning bodies, No. 3 by the IBF. That means a title shot is on the horizon unless he slips up. Quigley is a solid boxer but probably doesn’t have the firepower to upset Berlanga. The one-time silver medalist in the amateur World Championships from Ireland was stopped by Tureano Johnson in July 2019 but bounced back to win three in a row, including a majority decision over Shane Mosley Jr. at 160 in May 2021. He then was blown out in two rounds by then-middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade, which seemed to expose his limitations. He moved back up to 168 after the loss and shut out Gabor Gorbics this past April.
CARLOS ADAMES (22-1, 17 KOs) VS. JULIAN WILLIAMS (28-3-1, 16 KOs)
Date: Saturday, June 24
Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: The Armory, Minneapolis
TV/Stream: Showtime
Division: Middleweight (160 pounds)
At stake: No major titles
Odds: Adames 3½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Erickson Lubin vs. Luis Arias, junior middleweights; Fernando Martinez vs. Jade Bornea, junior bantamweights (for Martinez’s IBF title)
Prediction: Adames UD
Background: Adames, a top 160-pound contender, is on the precipice of a title shot. The 29-year-old boxer-puncher from the Dominican Republic lost a close decision to slick Patrick Teixeira for an “interim” title in November 2019 but learned from the experience. He has reeled off four consecutive victories since the setback, including a breakthrough majority decision over veteran Sergey Derevyanchenko in December 2021 and a third-round knockout of Juan Montiel this past October. Williams, 33, might be in a do-or-die situation. The polished technician from Philadelphia outclassed Jarret Hurd to become a 154-pound champion in May 2019 but has struggled since. He was stopped in five rounds by Jeison Rosario in his first defense and lost a split decision to Vladimir Hernandez in his next fight. He last fought in November, when he outpointed journeyman Rolando Mansilla in his first fight as a full-fledged 160-pounder. If he loses to Adames, he could be finished as an elite fighter.
Time: 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT (main event later in show)
Where: Ota-City General Gymnasium, Tokyo
TV/Stream: No TV in U.S.
Division: Junior bantamweight (115 pounds)
At stake: Franco’s WBA title
Odds: Even (average of multiple outlets)
Also on the card: Musashi Mori vs. Takuya Watanabe, junior lightweights; Daigo Higa vs. Sirichai Thaiyen, bantamweights
Prediction: Ioka SD
Background: Franco and Ioka fought to a majority draw in a title-unification showdown in December in the same venue in Ioka’s country, with Franco winning on one card and the other two judges scoring the fight a draw. Franco is the younger (27), rising fighter after back-to-back victories over Andrew Moloney (not counting a no-contest in between those fights) and the draw with Ioka. The well-schooled boxer from Texas hasn’t lost since he was stopped by Lucas Fernandez in 2018, although he has three draws since then (Oscar Negrete twice and Ioka). He outpointed Negrete in the second of their three compelling bouts. Ioka, a 34-year-old former three-division titleholder, proved he has plenty of fight left in him by easily outpointing Donnie Nietes last July in the final defense of his WBO belt (which he later gave up) and the draw with Franco. Nietes had defeated Ioka by a split decision in December 2018, the Japanese star’s most-recent setback. The Franco-Ioka show is not available to American fans as of this posting.
ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK
FRIDAY
Jesus Saracho vs. Tarik Zaina, junior welterweights, Ontario, California (Thompson Boxing YouTube and Facebook)
SATURDAY
Sarah Bormann vs. Perla Perez, strawweights, Ludwigsburg, German (DAZN)
Antonio Napolitano vs. Brandon Brewer, super middleweights, Niagra Falls, Canada (FITE)
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD I’m one of those who wonders whether Sebastian Fundora should use his height and reach more than he does. The 6-foot-5 junior middleweight’s nature is to fight toe-to-toe, which has worked for him. He …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
I’m one of those who wonders whether Sebastian Fundora should use his height and reach more than he does.
The 6-foot-5 junior middleweight’s nature is to fight toe-to-toe, which has worked for him. He remained undefeated after outpointing Carlos Ocampo on Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The fact is he’s an excellent inside fighter in spite of his lean frame and long arms. One could ask: If it ain’t broke, why fix it?
Well, giving up his length advantage gives his opponents a chance to get close enough to him to land punches. Ocampo lost a one-sided decision but did his best work when Fundora engaged him inside.
By contrast, I thought Ocampo was helpless when Fundora fought at range behind his jab and threw power punches, as he did in the last two rounds. I can see him dominating opponents with that tactic if he perfects it. He could be a 154-pound, left-handed version of Wladimir Klitschko.
I think he needs to work on landing his jab more than he does; he connected on 16% of them against Ocampo, according to CompuBox. And he has to follow with straight lefts, right hooks and other power punches, which he didn’t do early.
Fundora’s father-trainer Freddy Fundora agrees at least to some extent: The younger Fundora said he and dad worked on fighting at range during training camp for the Ocampo fight. So they might be moving in that direction.
In the end, Fundora’s instinct is to brawl, to please the fans who are hungry for action. That probably won’t change. That said, his best course might be to switch back and forth – from brawling to boxing – depending on the circumstances.
BAD
Kudos to the British Boxing Board of Control for refusing to sanction the Conor Benn-Chris Eubank Jr. fight after Benn’s “A” sample tested positive for a banned substance, after which it was postponed.
Benn’s handlers complained that he wasn’t given due process by the BBBofC, an allegation that will be sorted out over time.
The bottom line was this: Benn failed a drug test conducted by a reputable agency, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. The BBBofC made the responsible decision by pulling its support.
What about Benn’s “B” sample, which typically confirms the initial finding? Organizers would’ve been remiss to allow the fight to proceed in the off chance the second sample is negative.
I hate the fact that promoter Eddie Hearn refused to embrace the BBBofC’s decision but I have to give credit to him and his partners for deciding not to find an outside body to sanction the fight, which they probably could’ve done.
I won’t speculate on their true motives but they collectively made the decision that was best for the sport.
And, finally, there’s Benn. Surprise, surprise: He swears he’s a clean fighter even though Clomifene – a female fertility drug that can boost testosterone – was found in his body. Almost every athlete in his position says the same thing; it means next to nothing. He could face suspension.
The Benn-Eubank debacle was bad for boxing for obvious reasons but it would’ve been a lot worse had the fight taken place.
WORSE
Boxing lost a legend in Eder Jofre.
The Hall of Famer from Brazil, who died last week at 86, was arguably the greatest 118-pounder of all time, No. 1 pound-for-pound for a time in the 1960s and certainly the best boxer his country has ever produced.
Jofre was a brilliant boxer with fight-stopping power and he was durable, which is how he was able to compile a record of 72-2-4 (50 KOs) in his long career.
He went undefeated from 1957 to 1965, starting his career with a record of 47-0-3. Between 1960 and 1965 he won a version of the bantamweight and then the undisputed world championship and was essentially untouchable.
That is until he ran into his nemesis and fellow Hall of Famer, Fighting Harada of Japan, who handed him his first loss (a split decision) in 1965 and then did it again (a unanimous decision) the following year.
That appeared to be the end of Jofre’s career, as he “retired” at 30 after the second setback against Harada.
Then, after three years away, he put together one of the greatest comebacks ever.
The then-33-year-old returned as a featherweight in 1969 and reeled off 25 victories in as many fights, winning the WBC 126-pound title by decision over Jose Legra at 37 years old in the process.
If there was any doubt about his greatness before his comeback, there definitely wasn’t afterward.
Jofre was one of the best to ever do it. RIP, champ.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Fundora, ranked No. 1 by the WBC, has earned the right to face the winner of the January fight between undisputed champion Jermell Charlo and Tim Tszyu. Could he beat Charlo, who I expect to prevail of Tszyu? I doubt it. Charlo is one of the best in the business. However, as I’ve said in the past, I wouldn’t put anything past Fundora. He has innate resolve that makes him difficult for anyone to defeat. I hope he gets his chance. … Middleweight contender Carlos Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) was the star of the show on the Fundora-Ocampo card Saturday. The Dominican, a complete fighter, overwhelmed a good, strong opponent in Juan Macias Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) en route to a third-round knockout. Could he beat the top 160-pounder, Jermall Charlo? I wouldn’t be shocked if he did. He has the tools – speed, power, all-around ability – to become a pound-for-pounder. … Junior bantamweight titleholder Fernando Martinez (15-0, 8 KOs) proved his one-sided victory over Jerwin Ancajas (33-3-2, 22 KOs) in February was no fluke, as he did it again on the Fundora-Ocampo card. I wouldn’t pick Martinez to beat some of his 115-pound rivals, including Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez. But his relentless pressure would be hell for anyone. He’s the real deal.
A critical look at the past week in boxing GOOD I’m one of those who wonders whether Sebastian Fundora should use his height and reach more than he does. The 6-foot-5 junior middleweight’s nature is to fight toe-to-toe, which has worked for him. He …
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
I’m one of those who wonders whether Sebastian Fundora should use his height and reach more than he does.
The 6-foot-5 junior middleweight’s nature is to fight toe-to-toe, which has worked for him. He remained undefeated after outpointing Carlos Ocampo on Saturday night at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The fact is he’s an excellent inside fighter in spite of his lean frame and long arms. One could ask: If it ain’t broke, why fix it?
Well, giving up his length advantage gives his opponents a chance to get close enough to him to land punches. Ocampo lost a one-sided decision but did his best work when Fundora engaged him inside.
By contrast, I thought Ocampo was helpless when Fundora fought at range behind his jab and threw power punches, as he did in the last two rounds. I can see him dominating opponents with that tactic if he perfects it. He could be a 154-pound, left-handed version of Wladimir Klitschko.
I think he needs to work on landing his jab more than he does; he connected on 16% of them against Ocampo, according to CompuBox. And he has to follow with straight lefts, right hooks and other power punches, which he didn’t do early.
Fundora’s father-trainer Freddy Fundora agrees at least to some extent: The younger Fundora said he and dad worked on fighting at range during training camp for the Ocampo fight. So they might be moving in that direction.
In the end, Fundora’s instinct is to brawl, to please the fans who are hungry for action. That probably won’t change. That said, his best course might be to switch back and forth – from brawling to boxing – depending on the circumstances.
BAD
Kudos to the British Boxing Board of Control for refusing to sanction the Conor Benn-Chris Eubank Jr. fight after Benn’s “A” sample tested positive for a banned substance, after which it was postponed.
Benn’s handlers complained that he wasn’t given due process by the BBBofC, an allegation that will be sorted out over time.
The bottom line was this: Benn failed a drug test conducted by a reputable agency, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. The BBBofC made the responsible decision by pulling its support.
What about Benn’s “B” sample, which typically confirms the initial finding? Organizers would’ve been remiss to allow the fight to proceed in the off chance the second sample is negative.
I hate the fact that promoter Eddie Hearn refused to embrace the BBBofC’s decision but I have to give credit to him and his partners for deciding not to find an outside body to sanction the fight, which they probably could’ve done.
I won’t speculate on their true motives but they collectively made the decision that was best for the sport.
And, finally, there’s Benn. Surprise, surprise: He swears he’s a clean fighter even though Clomifene – a female fertility drug that can boost testosterone – was found in his body. Almost every athlete in his position says the same thing; it means next to nothing. He could face suspension.
The Benn-Eubank debacle was bad for boxing for obvious reasons but it would’ve been a lot worse had the fight taken place.
WORSE
Boxing lost a legend in Eder Jofre.
The Hall of Famer from Brazil, who died last week at 86, was arguably the greatest 118-pounder of all time, No. 1 pound-for-pound for a time in the 1960s and certainly the best boxer his country has ever produced.
Jofre was a brilliant boxer with fight-stopping power and he was durable, which is how he was able to compile a record of 72-2-4 (50 KOs) in his long career.
He went undefeated from 1957 to 1965, starting his career with a record of 47-0-3. Between 1960 and 1965 he won a version of the bantamweight and then the undisputed world championship and was essentially untouchable.
That is until he ran into his nemesis and fellow Hall of Famer, Fighting Harada of Japan, who handed him his first loss (a split decision) in 1965 and then did it again (a unanimous decision) the following year.
That appeared to be the end of Jofre’s career, as he “retired” at 30 after the second setback against Harada.
Then, after three years away, he put together one of the greatest comebacks ever.
The then-33-year-old returned as a featherweight in 1969 and reeled off 25 victories in as many fights, winning the WBC 126-pound title by decision over Jose Legra at 37 years old in the process.
If there was any doubt about his greatness before his comeback, there definitely wasn’t afterward.
Jofre was one of the best to ever do it. RIP, champ.
RABBIT PUNCHES
Fundora, ranked No. 1 by the WBC, has earned the right to face the winner of the January fight between undisputed champion Jermell Charlo and Tim Tszyu. Could he beat Charlo, who I expect to prevail of Tszyu? I doubt it. Charlo is one of the best in the business. However, as I’ve said in the past, I wouldn’t put anything past Fundora. He has innate resolve that makes him difficult for anyone to defeat. I hope he gets his chance. … Middleweight contender Carlos Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) was the star of the show on the Fundora-Ocampo card Saturday. The Dominican, a complete fighter, overwhelmed a good, strong opponent in Juan Macias Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) en route to a third-round knockout. Could he beat the top 160-pounder, Jermall Charlo? I wouldn’t be shocked if he did. He has the tools – speed, power, all-around ability – to become a pound-for-pounder. … Junior bantamweight titleholder Fernando Martinez (15-0, 8 KOs) proved his one-sided victory over Jerwin Ancajas (33-3-2, 22 KOs) in February was no fluke, as he did it again on the Fundora-Ocampo card. I wouldn’t pick Martinez to beat some of his 115-pound rivals, including Juan Francisco Estrada and Roman Gonzalez. But his relentless pressure would be hell for anyone. He’s the real deal.
Photos: Sebastian Fundora’s one-sided victory over Carlos Ocampo on Saturday in Carson, California.
Junior middleweight contender Sebastian Fundora defeated Carlos Ocampo by a one-sided decision Saturday at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
Also on the card, middleweight contender Carlos Adames knocked out Juan Macias Montiel at 2:37 of Round 3 of a scheduled 12-rounder; Fernando Martinez defeated Jerwin Ancajas by a unanimous decision a second time to retain his junior bantamweight title; and Gabriela Fundora, Sebastian’s sister, defeated Naomi Arellano Reyes by a unanimous decision in a 10-round flyweight bout.
Here are images from those fights. All photos by Esther Lin of Showtime.
Middleweight contender Carlos Adames stopped Juan Macias Montiel in the third round of their scheduled 12-rounder Saturday.
Middleweight contender Carlos Adames continues to impress.
The Dominican dominated Juan Macias Montiel before stopping the Mexican in the third round of a scheduled 12-round bout on the Sebastian Fundora-Carlos Ocampo card Saturday in Carson, California.
Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) came out firing hard, accurate shots to the head and body at the opening bell, never really allowing Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) to get going.
Then, late in Round 3, Adames staggered Montiel with a right hook to the temple and followed with a barrage of punches that prompted referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.
The official time was 2:37 of the round.
“I knew once I connected on that right hand it was over,” Adames said. “He didn’t have much left and then I went in for the kill. He was done at that point.”
Adames has now won four consecutive fights since he lost a decision to Patrick Teixeira in 2019, including a decision over Sergey Derevyanchenko last December.
He’s ranked No. 1 by the WBC, directly below champion Jermall Charlo.
Thus, a title shot is on the horizon for the talented fighter from Santo Domingo.
“I think I’m No. 1 and let’s hope the big names of the division have the courage to face me now,” he said through a translator.
Middleweight contender Carlos Adames stopped Juan Macias Montiel in the third round of their scheduled 12-rounder Saturday.
Middleweight contender Carlos Adames continues to impress.
The Dominican dominated Juan Macias Montiel before stopping the Mexican in the third round of a scheduled 12-round bout on the Sebastian Fundora-Carlos Ocampo card Saturday in Carson, California.
Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) came out firing hard, accurate shots to the head and body at the opening bell, never really allowing Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) to get going.
Then, late in Round 3, Adames staggered Montiel with a right hook to the temple and followed with a barrage of punches that prompted referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.
The official time was 2:37 of the round.
“I knew once I connected on that right hand it was over,” Adames said. “He didn’t have much left and then I went in for the kill. He was done at that point.”
Adames has now won four consecutive fights since he lost a decision to Patrick Teixeira in 2019, including a decision over Sergey Derevyanchenko last December.
He’s ranked No. 1 by the WBC, directly below champion Jermall Charlo.
Thus, a title shot is on the horizon for the talented fighter from Santo Domingo.
“I think I’m No. 1 and let’s hope the big names of the division have the courage to face me now,” he said through a translator.
Sebastian Fundora vs. Carlos Ocampo: LIVE updates and results, full coverage.
Junior middleweight contender Sebastain Fundora defeated Carlos Ocampo by a unanimous decision.
The official scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 117-111. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112, eight rounds to four.
Fundora (20-0-1, 13 KOs) started off using his height (6-foot-5) and reach, throwing a lot of jabs to keep the much shorter Ocampo (34-2, 22 KOs) at range.
However, Fundora, a brawler by nature, settled into an inside fight in Round 4 and didn’t retreat until the last few rounds.
And, while Ocampo threw a high volume of punches and was game, Fundora got the better of the toe-to-toe exchanges by landing the cleaner shots round after round.
Middleweight contender Carlos Adames knocked out Juan Macias Montiel at 2:37 of Round 3 of a scheduled 12-rounder.
Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) dominated Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) from the beginning, land quick, hard shots to both the head and body while Montiel offered little in return.
The beginning of the end with a right hook that staggered Montiel late in Round 3. The Dominican followed with a barrage of hard, accurate punches that prompted referee Ray Corona to stop the fight.
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Fernando Martinez defeated Jerwin Ancajas by a unanimous decision a second time to retain his junior bantamweight title.
The official scores were 119-109, 118-110 and 118-110. Boxing Junkie also scored it 118-110, 10 rounds to two.
Martinez (15-0, 8 KOs) outpointed Ancajas (33-3-2 (22 KOs) in a memorable brawl to take the Filipino’s title in February.
***
Here we go.
Junior bantamweight titleholder Fernando Martinez and challenger Jerwin Ancajas are in the ring for their immediate rematch. Martinez outpointed Ancajas to win the belt in February.
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Junior middleweight contender Sebastian Fundora is scheduled to face Carlos Ocampo tonight (Saturday) in Carson, California (Showtime).
Fundora (19-0-1, 13 KOs), the 6-foot-5 fighter from Southern California, is coming off a sensational ninth-round knockout of Erickson Lubin this past April.
Ocampo (34-1, 22 KOs) is best known for his failed challenge against welterweight champ Errol Spence Jr., who stopped him in one round in 2018. He’s 12-0 at 154 pounds since.
Also on the card, IBF 115-pound titleholder Fernando Martinez (14-0, 8 KOs) will face former beltholder Jerwin Ancajas (33-2-2, 22 KOs) in a rematch; and Carlos Adames (21-1, 16 KOs) will take on Juan Macias Montiel (23-5-2, 23 KOs) in a 160-pound fight.
The card will begin at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.
Boxing Junkie will post results of the featured bouts on the card immediately after they end. Simply return to this post when the time comes.
Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.
