Saturday night, April 20, the ESPN2 card will lead off with the action-packed battle between prospect Carlos Adames and veteran Frank Galarza in a ten-round super welterweight slugfest live from Madison Square Garden. The live telecast on ESPN2 starts at 6:00 p.m. ET. Below is the scouting report for this exciting bout:
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Category
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Carlos Adames
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Frank “Notorious” Galarza
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Age
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24
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33
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Record
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16-0-0 (13 KOs)
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20-2-2 (12 KOs)
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Hometown
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Born: Dominican Republic
Resides: Washington Heights, New York
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Born/Resides: Brooklyn, New York
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Strength
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Adames’ strength is his power; he has built a well-deserved reputation for being one of the heaviest hitters in the Super Welterweight division. He also shows great patience with regards to letting his hands go and picking his shots wisely.
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Galarza has proven over the years that his heart is just as big as any fighter in the sport. He is a blood-and-guts warrior who has zero quit inside of him. He has been in the ring with several current and former champions.
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Weakness
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This will be the biggest test of his young career. He has yet to face any real tough competition.
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Frank does not possess the power that Adames has. He will have to do his best to avoid the slugfests that Carlos is notoriously known for.
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Experience
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Although Carlos had an impressive run in the amateurs, he has not faced the same caliber of opposition as Galarza.
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Frank has more professional bouts under his belt, has faced multiple ranked opponents and former world titleholders.
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Power
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The young prospect’s hands are lethal in the ring and he can end the fight with one shot at any moment of the fight.
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Frank is not known for his power. He is better-recognized for delivering consistent punishment throughout the fight.
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Speed
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Adames is not known for his hand-speed, but what he does throw, he throws with bad intentions.
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Galarza will have a speed advantage. He puts combinations together nicely and is the more agile fighter in the ring.
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Endurance
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Although he has finished majority of his opposition, he has been 10 rounds twice in his career including a decision win over former titleholder Carlos Molina.
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Frank has proven numerous times that he can go the distance. His most recent loss was a closely contested 10-round decision against former champion Ishe Smith in Smith’s hometown.
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Accuracy
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Carlos is not a high-volume puncher, but he delivers powerful and accurate shots.
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Frank throws a lot of punches and likes to mix it up. He is known to fight fire-with-fire and will engage with anyone.
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Defense
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Adames has not yet had the opportunity to showcase any defensive skills. He has overwhelmed his previous opponents with his power. This is a tactic that may not be effective considering the durability of Galarza.
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Frank is an all-action fighter who has an entertaining disregard for his defense. He will need to tighten up his guard if he wants to avoid one of Carlos’ thunderous blows.
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Chin
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Carlos’ chin is still in question and because Galarza is a crafty veteran it will most likely be put to the test.
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Although he was stopped once by the currently heavy-handed titleholder, Jarret Hurd, Galarza’s chin has proven to be more than durable.
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Style
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Carlos is a come-forward power puncher. He likes to stalk his opponents and set up his shots, a tactic which he employs with great patience.
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Galarza is a crowd-pleasing fighter who lays it all on the line. He is not shy about letting his hands go and often finds himself in the center of the ring engaged in slugfests with his opponents.
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Crowd Support
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He currently resides in New York and has competed in the Empire State in the past. So, Adames should have solid crowd support for this bout.
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Frank is a New York native and has had a significant following for most of his career. He has also created a foundation for kids in his area called Youth Fighting Forward. So, look for a large contingent of young fans from Brooklyn to give him the home-crowd advantage at The Garden.
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Intangibles
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This will be the most important fight of Carlos Adames’ career. He has earned a reputation as a heavy-handed threat at 154 pounds. However, he currently lacks a notable win on his record. A win on Saturday night would fill that void and propel him into serious contender talks in the Super Welterweight division.
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Frank Galarza has come a long way in this sport and has picked up significant wins along the way. Since losing back-to-back fights against current/former champions Jarret Hurd and Ishe Smith, the New York native has put together three straight wins and feels more than ready to put his name back in the title picture. A win over the young prospect on Saturday night would accomplish this goal.
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The Match-Up
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According to Main Events’ matchmaker, Jolene Mizzone, “I love this fight: it is your typical veteran fight against the up-and-coming prospect. This is a must-win for both fighters to prove they belong in the Super Welterweight Division. I wish we could see more fights like this! Neither guy thought twice when the fight was offered, which is rare in the current boxing climate.”
