Austin Williams Seeks Replacement After Adames Withdrawal

Austin Williams was dressed, warmed, and ready when the call came. Carlos Adames fell ill, was taken to a medical facility, and the WBC middleweight title fight was pulled from Saturday’s DAZN pay-per-view card. Williams’ manager Sam Katkovski said a replacement is being sought so his fighter can still compete, yet no name surfaced and no agreement followed. That was the full update. Nothing more moved.

Adames was ruled unfit, and that ended it. An official connected to the champion confirmed dehydration. The belt stayed in its case. The card rolled on.

What went wrong before the scales

Adames is a thick-set pressure fighter who needs  a calm rehydrate to keep his legs under him late. When that routine slips, the body answers hard. “Dehydration” tells trainers enough without extra detail. You can box through soreness. You cannot punch when the tank will not refill.

Adames last boxed in February, a draw with Hamzah Sheeraz in Saudi Arabia that demanded long rounds and steady output. This defense was meant to settle business back home against a challenger who brings pace, volume, and a busy jab. Instead, camp ended with medical staff, not a bell.

Williams did his work. Twelve-round prep. Timing drilled. Feet ready to step around pressure and set combinations off the lead hand. He was left dressed and idle, a rough place to land after weeks of sparring.

Where Williams and the division stall

Short-notice replacements exist in theory, not always in practice. Any opponent would need medical clearance, weight readiness, and a green light from promoters who already lost a title bout. At this stage, the only confirmed development is that Williams’ team is exploring options to keep him on the card.

For the division, clarity slips. Adames keeps the belt by default, yet questions follow the cut and the calendar for the next defense. Williams stays healthy without rounds, and momentum does not wait long at 160. Matchmaking keeps moving whether you boxed or not.