Carlos Adames vs. Austin Williams: Who has the edge heading into their fight at Ring VI?

A competitive split draw with Hamzah Sheeraz last February was the only action Carlos Adames had in 2025.

Now, the WBC middleweight world champion returns to put his title on the line against a surging Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams at Madison Square Garden as part of Ring VI on Saturday night, live on DAZN PPV.

Some believe Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) did enough to have his hand raised in victory against Sheeraz in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

He will look for a more dominant display against Williams (19-1, 13 KOs) who has won three straight fights, including the ninth-round TKO of Ivan Vazquez that he delivered in July.

Will Adames deliver a convincing win toward a more active 2026? Or will ‘Ammo’ make the most of his first crack at a world title with his biggest career win to date? DAZN News examines who has the edge heading into this high-stakes world championship bout?

Boxing Styles

Although he often needs a few rounds to rev up, once Carlos Adames gets his motor running, he is an absolute load to deal with.

The Dominican Republic fighter makes regular, crunching deposits to the body and is sure to reinvest to opponents’ midsection even when having success unleashing flurries upstairs. He also slips punches well in the pocket.

Adames’ strong, forward-fighting style will be up against Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams, who is an all-action southpaw behind the jab with the ability to close distance swiftly and crank left hooks to the body.

If there is a knock on Williams, it is that he often stands too upright, leaving himself susceptible to a right hand — a blow that Adames can catch and hurt him with.

Edge: Adames

Power

Both middleweights pack potent punching power but the short bursts that Adames is able to generate at the bat of an eye makes the champ’s oomph a bit more dangerous.

Plus, he has unloaded this power against a tougher tier of competition than Williams.

Edge: Adames

Mental Warfare

Williams has grinded hard to get here, with the prospect of becoming a world champion at arm’s reach at the age of 29.

Rebuilding from a loss by erecting a three-fight win streak also has ‘Ammo’ brimming with confidence. “I’m beyond confident … I’m a showman,” he said during Thursday’s press conference. “I came into this sport to be the best performing artist to ever exist.”

Meanwhile, Adames has built up excellent ring savvy through hard-fought fights against the likes of Sergiy Derevyanchenko, Juan Macias Montiel, Julian Williams and Terrell Gausha.

Even the draw with Sheeraz taught him plenty. That said, returning from a near-year layoff against a hungry challenger like Williams is a tough mental hurdle that Adames must clear. He has the physical tools to do it. Now, it is about showing a steely mindset as well.

Edge: Adames

Who has the edge in Adames vs. Williams?

Taking a few rounds to warm up into the fight against Sheeraz, Adames lost out on delivering a convincing victory. The onus is on the WBC world middleweight champion to show fight fans and critics alike that he has learned from that experience.

DAZN News has Adames with the 3-0 edge here, though Williams should make this a gritty fight. And if he has the fight night of his life, ‘Ammo’ could pull the upset. It’s a tough prospect, though, considering how many pressure-packed spots like this that Adames has already endured.

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