Recently elevated to WBC middleweight champion after making two defenses of his interim belt, Carlos Adames of the Dominican Republic will step in to make the first defense of his newly minted title when he faces former Olympian Terrell Gausha in a Las Vegas matchup that kicks off PBC's pay-per-view show on Saturday, June 15th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Adames (23-1, 18 KOs) is looking to establish himself as number one in the historic weight class. [Erislandy Lara holds the WBA title while Zhanibek Alimkhanuly is the unified WBO and IBF champion]. The 30-year old’s last outing saw him earn a ninth-round TKO of former unified 154-pound champion Julian Williams in June 2023. Prior to that, Adames bested perennial contender Sergiy Derevyanchenko in December 2021 and followed that up by knocking out Juan Macias Montiel in the third round to capture his interim belt in October 2022.
Adames was born in Comendador, Dominican Republic, lives in Washington Heights, New York and trains in Las Vegas. He established himself as a contender with a slew of victories over the likes of former 140-pound title holder Carlos Molina, plus Frank Galarza, Joshua Conley and Alejandro Barrera, Adames' only defeat coming by narrow decision in a 2019 154-pound title fight against Patrick Teixeira.
“I’m very excited to be back fighting in Las Vegas on a mega fight card, especially making the first defense of my WBC Middleweight World Championship,” said Adames. “Terrell Gausha has a lot of experience fighting at the top level in the pros and in the amateurs. I know this is a tough fight and that makes me focus even more in training. Right now my mind is right, my body feels great and I’m going to be able to put on a spectacular performance for everybody watching on June 15. I’m going to defend my title with everything I’ve got.”
ADAMES OPEN WORKOUT QUOTES
“I’m very excited to be stepping into the ring once again. It’s been a while since I’ve been in the ring, but I’ve been in the gym for a long time getting into the best shape possible mentally and physically. I want to make a really big statement. Not just for me, but for my supporters. I owe it to everyone who helped me get here. I made a commitment to be on top and I like to keep my promises.
“I’m not concerned about Gausha’s resume or who he’s fought, because I’m the best fighter he’s gonna face. I’m the best fighter in the 160-pound division, so he better be ready for what he’s coming up against. I’m not underestimating anyone, but I’m not worried about his experience.
“June 15th is going to be full of spectacle and fireworks, because I’m relentless in the ring. My opponents know everything is on the line when they step in against me. I’m definitely going to show I’m the best middleweight in the world.
“Gausha has the reputation of a guy who’s hard to knock down, but he hasn’t felt my power yet. I’ll tip my hat to him if he can go the distance. Either way, I’m not focusing on the knockout. I’m making sure I’m ready for anything that happens in the ring.
“I was truly happy to be elevated to world champion on my birthday. That news was just the cherry on top of my birthday. What I really wanted was for Jermall Charlo to fight me, but he made his choice.”
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A member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, Gausha (25-3-1, 12 KOs) was born in Cleveland, Ohio but now fights out of Encino, Calif. and is trained by Manny Robles. He enters this fight having won his last two bouts as he knocked out Brandyn Lynch in March of last year before winning a decision over KeAndrae Leatherwood in September. Gausha has faced top competition throughout his career, having fought former champion Austin Trout to a draw in 2019 in addition to decision losses against former champions Erislandy Lara and Tim Tszyu and top contender Erickson Lubin.
“I’ve been training since way before this fight was signed and I’m feeling ready for the challenge,” said Gausha. “Adames is a good fighter, but so am I. I’m confident that I’m gonna come out on top on June 15th. My experience and my skill set are gonna be huge factors that help me get this victory.”
GAUSHA OPEN WORKOUT QUOTES
“I’m very confident and blessed to be in this position. I’m one of the type of guys that you can’t just run over. I’m the easiest person to make a fight with, because I don’t fear anybody.
“Carlos Adames is a very solid fighter who brings a lot to the table. Everyone has holes and I’ve been watching him since I moved up to middleweight. I know he brings the action and I’ve been preparing for a fight like this.
“I’m more comfortable now at middleweight. I can just focus on training, because I’m already on weight. I don’t make any excuses, but getting down to 154 put more wear and tear on my body.
“I fight the best. That’s what I do. We’ll see come June 15 who the best is. Styles make fights. I don’t fear him and he doesn’t fear me. That’s gonna make it an exciting fight for the fans.
“I’m just ready to get what’s mine. I’m here for a reason. I don’t take this opportunity lightly. There’s no pressure for me. I’m just looking to go put on a great show.
“I feel confident coming into this fight. We’re putting the work in. I never cut corners and I’m a true professional. I’m coming to get the win. I have a great team behind me and we’re prepared for sure.”
