Carlos Adames Pulls Out of Lopez vs Stevenson Undercard, Potential Replacement Named

In a major blow to the upcoming Teofimo Lopez vs. Shakur Stevenson undercard, WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) was forced to withdraw from his title defense against Austin “Ammo” William (19-1, 13 KOs).

The highly anticipated bout was cancelled just one day before the fight was scheduled for January 31, 2026, at Madison Square Garden.

According to various reports, Adames was transported by ambulance to a local medical facility for treatment. The Ring's Keith Idec was the first to announce the news in a post on X.

“Was just informed Carlos Adames has withdrawn from his WBC middleweight title defense against Austin “Ammo” Williams,” Idec wrote. “ Adames’ handlers said he is sick & cannot fight on “The Ring 6” undercard Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.”

Was just informed Carlos Adames has withdrawn from his WBC middleweight title defense against Austin “Ammo” Williams. Adames’ handlers said he is sick & cannot fight on “The Ring 6” undercard Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. https://t.co/LNtimtjTdZ
— Keith Idec (@Idecboxing) January 30, 2026

Williams team searching for a replacement

Sam Katkovski, Williams’ manager, is seeking a replacement opponent so that his client can stay on the card, per reports. With the bout set to take place on Saturday, Katkovski is looking to pull off a boxing miracle.

Adames’ withdrawal leaves questions that, for now, are unanswered. He signed on to fight Williams instead of waiting for a title fight for the IBF 160-pound championship currently held by Janibek Alimkhanuly.

According to boxing insider Dan Rafael, Wendy Toussaint could be Williams' replacement.

Efforts are being made to keep Ammo Williams on the card and he could face very short notice replacement Wendy Toussaint, per source. #boxing #TeofimoShakur
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) January 30, 2026

In his last fight in February, Adames took on Hamzah Sheeraz in Saudi Arabia. After the bout ended, Adames planned his next defense against Williams, which would have been his third title defense.

What's next for Williams?

For Williams, all of his preparation was lost at an instant because of the cancellation. The fight against Adames would have been for a world title, and he was seeking to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight division.

Williams decided to fight Adames, although he earned a mandatory shot against Alimkhanuly.

In his most recent fight, Williams defeated Ivan Vazquez via a 9th-round TKO on July 19, 2025. The win over Vazquez was his third straight victory following his first career loss in 2024.

Williams and the middleweight division are currently left in a state of limbo as he waits for this title shot to be rescheduled.

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