Carlos Adames Wants WBC Middleweight Champion Jermall Charlo Stripped
It was a solid performance from Carlos Adames (22-1, 17 KOs), who defended the WBC Interim middleweight title with a ninth-round stoppage over former unified junior champion Julian “J-Rock” Williams. Now Adames argues that he should be elevated from Interim to full-time WBC champion over Jermall Charlo.
Adames would love it if his next bout were against the current WBC middleweight titleholder Jermall Charlo (32-0, 22 KOs). But word on the street is that Charlo’s next fight could occur at 168 against undisputed middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
VOICING HIS OUTRAGE
Speaking to ESPN following the victory over Williams, Adames explained why she should be the full-time WBC champion. and held nothing back regarding his feelings about Charlo.
“This is my belt. I’m the one working; He’s not working. I’m the true champion . . . Charlo, he can keep running . . . He’s speaking with his actions. So, he’s moving up. He doesn’t want it. He’s chasing other things . . . Anybody that wants to be great in this division right now has to come through me.”
One can understand Adames’ frustration. Charlo has been out of the ring since a unanimous decision win over Juan Macias Montiel in June 2021. In most cases, when a world champion is inactive for that length of time, they are at risk of being stripped.
Charlo has said that a bout with mental health issues contributed to his layoff. In May 2023, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said they kept him as champion so he could deal with his mental health and that they support Charlo.
Adames is not trying to hear it. He thinks enough is enough. Either he gets what he feels is his deserved shot at Charlo, or the WBC needs to step in and declare him champion outright.
