Boxing
The Carlos Adames-Austin Williams fight will take place on March 21
Carlos Adames and Austin “Ammo” Williams have finalized a deal to fight for the WBC middleweight title on March 21 in Orlando, Florida, and the fight will replace a January date that fell through when Adames was hospitalized with severe dehydration.
The delay hampered what should have been momentum for Adames (24-1-1, 18 KO), who hasn’t fought since a draw with Hamzah Sheeraz in February 2025 in Riyad. Many observers still do not like this result. Adames won clearly and it didn’t look like a fight that should have ended evenly. Instead of walking away with a clear defense and forward movement, he walked away with a split verdict that hobbled his standing in a division that already lacked direction.
Now he’s back after a long absence, and while the dehydration episode was a concern at the time, the bigger problem is rhythm. Champions who fight once a year tend to lose public interest, especially in a weight class that has been looking for someone to establish authority.
Williams (19-1, 13 KO), promoted by Eddie Hearn, begins a four-fight winning streak with an 11th-round loss to Sheeraz in June 2024. The reconstruction was carried out efficiently and carefully, thanks to which its appearance became sharper. What remains uncertain is how much these recent opponents have truly prepared him to fight at a championship level. The step from controlled bounces to current title holder is not subtle.
Stylistically, the duel presents real tension. Adames is compact, physically robust and willing to push exchanges into uncomfortable territory. Williams has a better command of space and fluidity, and when he is allowed to dictate distance, he can look fluid and confident. The question is whether he can maintain that composure when the pace picks up and body shots start to fall.
There is still no established dominant figure in the middleweight division. A decisive victory would put the winner of the unification discussions in a division that requires transparency. A close or disputed result would only prolong the uncertainty that defined 160 pounds last year.
For Adames, this fight is about regaining the momentum that has waned in Riyad. For Williams, this is the first real measure of whether the redevelopment has made real progress or simply restored appearance. March 21 provides the answers the division has been waiting for.
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Last updated: 23/02/2026 at 12:02
Boxing
Prince Naseem Hamed predicts Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight: ‘It’s going to sound crazy’
Ben Whittaker’s next few months are already taking shape following his quick knockout victory in Liverpool, and Adam Smith outlines a busy summer schedule that should finally see the delicate heavyweight fighter face stronger tests
Smith said Whittaker is expected to return to the United States in overdue June on the Jaron “Boots” Ennis card, then return to the UK in the summer for a major date in his hometown of Birmingham.
Whittaker stopped Brian Suarez in two rounds last weekend and performed brilliantly throughout, adding another early finish to the stretch that helped rebuild attention around him after his first fight with Liam Cameron ended in a draw.
Smith said the June outing would support expose Whittaker to a wider audience ahead of a bigger national night later in the year.
“He will fight at the end of June in America at the Boots Ennis gala. That’s good. Show him to a global audience. Then he will come back here in overdue summer, maybe early September and fight in Birmingham in a huge fight,” Adam Smith said in an interview with Sport Boxing.
Smith also named British opponents who could be next, naming Lyndon Arthur, Brad Rea and Craig Richards as possible options once Whittaker returns home.
Smith believes that in the long term, bigger domestic fights with Joshua Buatsi and Anthony Yard should come within the next year if Whittaker continues to win.
“Buatsis and Yards need to be delivered within the next 6-12 months.”
Whittaker has had a lot of notoriety since turning pro, but the activity and matchmaking are looking more grave now. The next two fights should tell more than the first ten.
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Last updated: 24/04/2026 at 17:38
Prince Naseem Hamed predicts Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua fight: ‘It’s going to sound crazy’
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