OTX crowned its junior middleweight tournament winner as Andreas Katzourakis edged Brandon Adams by split decision in Friday’s main event at Corey Studios in Atlanta.
The judges scored it 97-93 (Adams), 97-93 (Katzourakis) and 96-94 (Katzourakis).
The fight opened with a smothering pace as Katzourakis, 27, of Houston by way of Greece, pressed forward to fight in close quarters. Though a feel-out round, it played out at a surprisingly close range. Katzourakis sustained a cut over his right eye in the first round, which referee Thomas Taylor ruled was caused by a punch.
The second round continued in the pocket, with Katzourakis straying low on Adams, 35, of Whittier, California, forcing a brief pause. Despite the foul, Adams remained composed. By the third, Katzourakis kept Adams on the ropes, throwing in volume, though Adams blocked many shots. The fourth round briefly saw action in the center of the ring, with Adams having his best stretch before being backed to the ropes again by the time the bell rang.
Katzourakis was warned for low blows multiple times in the fifth as both fighters traded evenly in a grueling round. The sixth and seventh followed a familiar pattern: Katzourakis pushed the pace while Adams relied on defense and counters. However, the eighth round saw Adams display a wider range of skills, though Katzourakis’ relentless forward pressure remained the story.
By the ninth round, Adams fought with increased urgency, landing his cleanest shots of the fight, including a right hand that visibly rocked Katzourakis. Despite Adams landing 183 punches to Katzourakis’ 149, according to punch stats, much of Adams’ time was spent with his back on the ropes, which might have factored into the scores.
The final round was a testament to both fighters’ toughness, with nonstop exchanges thrilling the crowd. Adams found his rhythm, landing effectively from distance, while Katzourakis stayed aggressive. When the final bell rang, it was evident both fighters left it all in the ring in what was arguably OTX’s most entertaining fight to date.
Katzourakis improved to 15-0 (10 KOs), while Adams fell to 23-4 (16 KOs).
Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.
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