- Carlos Adames (25-1-1, 18 KOs) and Gerome Warburton (18-2-2, 2 KOs) both weighed exactly 165lbs, so Adames vs Warburton is official for Saturday 14 November at The Venue in Riyadh
- It is a ten-round catchweight main event, live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and Paramount+ in the US, with the first bout at 1pm UK time
- In the co-feature, Jason Moloney weighed 117.5lbs and Andres Teran 119.5lbs. My picks: Adames by stoppage, Moloney on points
Adames vs Warburton: The Weigh-In
Right then, no drama on the scales in Riyadh. Carlos Adames and Gerome Warburton both came in bang on 165lbs, five pounds above the middleweight limit, so Adames vs Warburton is locked in for Saturday at The Venue. It is ten rounds, it tops the Zuffa Boxing 13 bill and it is live on Sky Sports over here.
I said in my preview yesterday that this is not a title defence in the normal sense, and nothing has changed. The catchweight means the green belt is not formally on the line, but reports say the WBC has agreed it goes vacant if Adames loses. So Adames vs Warburton still carries proper risk for the champion.
Adames vs Warburton: How They Looked
Adames looked hard, lean and relaxed. He is 25-1-1 with 18 knockouts and this is his first night under the Zuffa banner, so he knows the new bosses are watching. Warburton looked in great shape too. The Welsh southpaw has earned this the hard way, beating Nathan Heaney twice this year, and he will not be overawed.
Moloney vs Teran: The Chief Support
The co-feature is a cracking bantamweight scrap. Jason Moloney weighed 117.5lbs and Andres Teran came in at 119.5lbs for their ten-rounder. Moloney is 35, 29-4 with 20 knockouts, a former world champion and a man who has shared a ring with the very best. After two decision defeats in Japan he has won his last two and says he wants to be champion again.
Teran is 26, Mexican and 19-2 with 14 knockouts. He announced himself to Zuffa fans in June with a sixth-round stoppage in his US debut, and he will fancy that youth beats experience here.
Moloney vs Teran Prediction
Let's not beat around the bush, this is a real test for Moloney at this stage of his career. But his jab, his body work and his ring IQ are levels above anything Teran has faced. I am taking Moloney on points in a close, hard fight.
Adames vs Warburton Prediction
I am sticking with what I said yesterday. Warburton is durable, awkward and brave, but two knockouts in 22 fights tells you he will not keep Adames honest. The champion will walk him down and go to the body, and the accumulation will tell.
My prediction for Adames vs Warburton is Adames by stoppage between rounds seven and ten. If Warburton hears the final bell, he goes home a hero, but I think Adames vs Warburton ends early. If you know, you know: the Dominican to the body is a horrible night's work.