Hard-hitting top middleweight Carlos Adames retained his Interim WBC Middleweight Title with a ninth-round stoppage of game former unified world champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams in the main event of action live on SHOWTIME.
Esther Lin / SHOWTIME
"I’m so thankful to everyone who came out here and gave me support today and all week,” said Adames. “We gave the fans a great fight and I accomplished my goal, which was walking out of here with the title.”
The early rounds saw good back-and-forth action, as Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) appeared to wobble Williams (28-4-1, 16 KOs) in round two, forcing Williams to hold on and survive the rest of the round. After Adames opened up a cut under Williams’ right eye in round three, Williams showed his championship pedigree in rebounding to land several big power shots and control most of the round.
The tide turned again in round four, with Adames landing a series of power shots that again had Williams hurt against the ropes and hoping to hold and keep Adames off him. The fight settled in after the fourth, with both fighters having their moments through the middle frames.
“I really don’t know how he survived the fourth round, but he’s a veteran,” said Adames. “He’s got skills and that’s what got him through that round.”
“I just stayed calm,” said Williams about the fourth round. “I knew he was trying to finish me. I knew he was throwing punches, but I think I won the next couple of rounds after that.”
The Dominican Republic’s Adames broke through once again in round nine, upping his activity again and staggering Williams with a series of power shots. Williams showed his consummate ring IQ and grit by doing everything he could to keep Adames from delivering a decisive blow, however referee Mark Nelson stepped in and called an end to the fight 2:45 into the round.
“When I came with those two rights, that’s when the referee stopped it,” said Adames. “If I would’ve hit him with another one, he probably would’ve gotten really hurt.”
Williams disagreed with the stoppage and expressed his displeasure in the ring post-fight.
“I think it was a terrible stoppage, but what can I do?” said Williams. “I’m healthy and I feel fine. I thought it was pretty much even and I was taking over while he was getting tired. Of course I want a rematch. It’s not his fault that the ref jumped in early. It looked corny. It looked bad. It was a great fight, I thought it was an even fight, and he jumps in and stops it because I got a little bit buzzed. It’s boxing.”
At the time of the stoppage, Adames led on all three cards by scores 80-72, 78-74 and 77-74. The overall punch stats were close according to CompuBox, with Adames’ biggest advantage coming in a 64-27 edge on body shots that helped break his opponent down.
“I’m one of those fighters that knows that to chop the tree down, you start with the trunk and then it will fall by itself,” said Adames. “I’m a warrior. I’m going to rest for a little bit and see what’s next.”