Stephen Edwards believes Ammo Williams has reached his upper limit

Trainer Stephen Edwards sees the upcoming middleweight title fight as a skills check more than a style puzzle. His read is simple. Champion Carlos Adames has already operated at a level that challenger Austin Williams is still trying to reach.

Edwards’ concern with Williams is not effort or toughness. It is sustainability. He has repeatedly pointed to Williams’ build and how it holds up late. In Edwards’ view, the added muscle looks impressive early but becomes a liability once the pace drags into the second half of a fight.

That issue showed up in Williams’ 2025 outing against Ivan Vazquez, a fight Edwards described as uneven despite the stoppage. It was even more obvious in Williams’ 11th-round knockout loss to Hamzah Sheeraz the year before, when fatigue set in and the margin for error disappeared.

The bout takes place on the undercard of Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson at Madison Square Garden, airing on DAZN pay per view. While it is not the bold middleweight move some fans wanted, it does put Williams directly in front of a champion who applies constant pressure and does not fade.

Edwards has also been careful not to oversell Adames. He noted that Adames looked strong against Sheeraz but had moments of difficulty earlier in his reign, particularly against Terrell Gausha. That is where Edwards believes Williams has a chance. If Williams can box at range, manage the tempo, and avoid trading late, the fight stays competitive.

Still, Edwards keeps coming back to experience and durability. Adames is coming off a disputed draw with Sheeraz and has not fought in close to a year, but he has already survived the championship rounds and the physical grind that comes with them. Williams is stepping into that environment for the first time.

Edwards’ pick is a late Adames stoppage, not because Williams lacks talent, but because this feels like a night where the gap shows up after the midpoint.