At the Caribe Royale Orlando in Florida, in an event promoted by Matchroom Boxing live on DAZN, the WBC middleweight title was on the line between champion Carlos Adames (25-1-1, 18 KOs) and challenger Austin Williams (20-2, 13 KOs). The bout ended in a clear unanimous decision victory for Adames (118-108, 117-109, 117-109).
In a fierce contest, Williams tried to hold his own against an unstoppable Adames, who entered this fight following a split draw against Hamzah Sheeraz that allowed him to keep his belt and status as the category’s champion. The challenger started fast, looking to dictate the pace with jabs and body shots as a sharp southpaw, while “El Caballo Bronco” appeared highly focused and confident, immediately letting go of powerful and dangerous strikes.
At the beginning of the second round, a straight right hand from the champion landed like a bolt from the blue, dropping “Ammo” Williams. The crowd was in shock, as was the challenger, who managed to beat the count and continue fighting, though he took some seconds to recover. At this point, Williams tried to contain the champion—who became very aggressive looking for the finish—but Ammo managed to survive the most critical moments of the night.
In the third round, Adames continued to find a home for his straight right, moving his waist to slip his opponent’s jab, who seemed to have regained his attacking rhythm. Austin landed some nice combinations, but the Dominican was truly clinical, precise, and focused on the goal. In the fourth, Ammo came out aggressive with fast, explosive combinations; Carlos accepted the exchange in the center of the ring. Williams’ lightning-fast jab was noteworthy, but Adames’ straight right remained venomous.
Williams tried to be more incisive with his straight left, but Adames regained ring control, forcing his opponent to the ropes throughout the fifth round, where Ammo nonetheless continued to work the jab effectively. The action returned to the center of the ring in the sixth. Williams tried to string together several combinations, but had to remain wary of the champion’s right hand, even as Ammo landed a few counters. This was perhaps the most compelling round, with fast and powerful combinations from both sides—a truly great phase of the fight.
The Dominican is devastating when he leads with the right, whether with uppercuts or straights, but the American seemed to stay in the fight even as his jab began to lose effectiveness in the seventh, often missing the mark. The eighth round followed a similar pattern, with Adames making his power felt. The pace slowed in the ninth. Adames’ footwork seemed to be the winning key tonight, as he successfully evaded Williams’ jabs and combinations before countering with heavy blows. However, with great tenacity, Ammo continued to try explosive flurries, refusing to give up for a single second. At the start of the tenth, he pressured his opponent, who continued to break through with shots whose impact could likely be felt even in the furthest stands.
In the eleventh round, both fighters took risks, with precise shots landing on both sides, but Adames appeared more clinical with a significant variety of punches. Ammo seemed determined to make it to the final bell; in the last round, the two continued to fight tooth and nail. Adames was warned and penalized for low blows before giving the fans two final minutes of open warfare. Nothing but respect for both fighters—a well-fought match, though dominated by the Dominican.
Williams’ courage and resilience must be highlighted, but Adames proved once again tonight that he is the best middleweight in the world. Will he now face a unification bout against WBA champion Erislandy Lara or move up in weight?