LAS VEGAS – Carlos Adames’ only slip in the ring was against a crafty boxer, so as he heads to his first WBC middleweight title defense Saturday night, he embraces the assignment of another complex challenge.
In Southern California’s Terrell Gausha, 36, Adames gets a veteran who has knocked down Tim Tszyu, battled Austin Trout to a draw and should want to maintain a tricky demeanor.
Adames, 30, last month was promoted to full champion following the arrest of inactive and troubled former champion Jermall Charlo following Charlo’s car crash and arrest in Texas.
While Gausha (24-3-1, 12 KOs) does not stir fear among the division’s occupants, it is worth noting Adames’ lone loss was in 2019 to the complicated southpaw and former WBO 154-pound champion Patrick Teixeira, who has faded and was dominated Saturday in an MSG Theater main-event loss to Xander Zayas.
“It’s not the crafty fighter who’s given me trouble. It was that I wasn’t as experienced to be as mentally prepared as I am today,” Adames told BoxingScene Thursday following the undercard news conference for Saturday night’s Prime Video pay-per-view card headed by the Gervonta “Tank” Davis-Frank Martin WBA lightweight title fight.
“Right now, I’m as physically and mentally sharp as I’ve ever been. No one can stop me.”
Adames has been involved in social media banter with two-belt middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly (15-0, 10 KOs), who is both a powerful and skilled southpaw.
Alimkhanuly will defend his WBO and IBF middleweight belts July 13 against Andrei Mikhailovich (21-0, 13 KOs) in Las Vegas.
Why didn’t all their talk generate a fight?
“It was just a matter of the deal didn’t happen, so it’s a great fight for the long run,” Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) said.
Part of it may be boxing’s old way of doing business.
Premier Boxing Champions, which has Adames, also claims veteran WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara, who likely awaits a fall date against Phoenix’s top-ranked contender Elijah Garcia, who also fights on Saturday’s card.
“The plan is to get a title (against Lara) and then go home to defend it,” Garcia’s father, George Garcia, said Thursday.
Said Adames: “Janibek may be a great challenge for me, but at the same time, rack ‘em up, stack ‘em up, I’ll fight against anybody.”
First comes the thrill of being able to display his growth as a fighter, and win the belt in the ring.
“I’m excited to show everybody it’s not going to be easy to defeat me,” Adames said. “This is a showcase of me and my title and an alert for everyone else to be on notice.”
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