Carlos Adames outpoints Gerome Warburton in Riyadh on Zuffa Boxing debut

Carlos Adames, the WBC middleweight champion, beat Wales' Gerome Warburton by unanimous decision in a non-title fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday 14 November. The three judges scored it 100-90, 99-91 and 98-92 for the Dominican.

The bout was contested over 10 rounds at a catchweight of 165lbs. BBC Sport described it as a super middleweight fight.

A one-sided night in Riyadh

Adames, making his Zuffa Boxing debut, controlled the fight from the first bell, according to BBC Sport. Most of his success came with body shots, though he never threatened to claim a 19th career knockout.

Sky Sports reported that Adames started cautiously and Warburton did even less, backpedalling as the champion walked forward. Adames increased the pressure after three quiet rounds and, in the fifth, began to work the body more heavily.

Warburton, from Colwyn Bay, adopted a defensive approach and withstood some strong shots. His best work came late: one judge gave him the eighth and 10th rounds, BBC Sport reported.

Reaction

Adames was critical of his opponent's approach.

"I think he could have done more, but I think he was just surviving."

He then issued an open challenge. "Anybody, 160-168lbs, anybody can get it," he said, according to Sky Sports.

Warburton, now 18-2-3 as a professional, climbed the ropes after the final bell to celebrate going the distance, BBC Sport reported.

What comes next

Adames, now 26-1-1, was using the fight to tune up for major title fights next year, according to Sky Sports.

London's Denzel Bentley, who was stripped of his WBO title before his recent win over Shane Mosley Jr, is targeting 2027 fights with Adames or IBF titlist Aaron McKenna. "Those two are my priority," he told Sky Sports.

On the same card, former world champion Jason Moloney won a clear unanimous decision over Mexico's Andres Teran in a bantamweight 10-rounder, Sky Sports reported.