Showtime revealed Tuesday that Carlos Adames will defend his WBC interim middleweight title against Julian Williams in the 12-round main event of a tripleheader the network will televise June 24 from The Armory in Minneapolis. The three-bout broadcast also will include a junior middleweight bout between Erickson Lubin and Luis Arias.
Showtime’s opener June 24 will match Argentina’s Fernando Martinez against mandatory challenger Jade Bornea in a 12-round fight for Martinez’s IBF junior bantamweight title.
The Dominican Republic’s Adames (22-1, 17 KOs) will make his first defense of an interim championship he won when he knocked out Mexico’s Juan Macias Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs) in the third round October 8 at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. Adames wants his shot at Charlo’s championship as soon as possible, but Charlo hasn’t fought since he beat Montiel by unanimous decision in their 12-rounder in June 2021 at Toyota Center in Houston.
Philadelphia’s Williams will fight for the second time at the middleweight limit when he challenges Adames. The former 154-pound champion most recently defeated Argentinean journeyman Rolando Mansilla (18-12-1, 8 KOs) by unanimous decision in an eight-rounder November 5 at The Armory.
Houston’s Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs) knocked out Williams in the fifth round of their December 2016 fight for Charlo’s IBF junior middleweight title at USC’s Galen Center in Los Angeles. Williams (28-3-1, 16 KOs, 1 NC) later won the IBF, IBO and WBA belts from Jarrett Hurd (24-2, 16 KOs), whom Williams beat by unanimous decision in an all-action 12-rounder in May 2019 at EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Virginia.
Lubin, meanwhile, will fight for the first time since unbeaten Sebastian Fundora stopped the Orlando, Florida native in their “Fight of the Year” candidate last April 9 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Milwaukee’s Arias (20-3-1, 9 KOs), who upset Hurd by split decision in June 2021, will attempt to knock off another favored fighter when he battles Lubin (24-2, 17 KOs).
Martinez (15-0, 8 KOs) will make his second defense of the IBF 115-pound championship against the Philippines’ Bornea (18-0, 12 KOs) that he won from Filipino southpaw Jerwin Ancajas a year ago in Las Vegas. Martinez beat Ancajas (33-3-2, 22 KOs) by unanimous decision again in their 12-round rematch October 8 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
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