The rising iron-fisted star of the 154-pound division, Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames, will lock horns with Patrick Teixeira in a 12-round WBO junior middleweight title eliminator Saturday, Nov. 30 at The Chelsea inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

Adames-Teixeira will headline the undercard stream (ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m.) before the super featherweight doubleheader featuring former featherweight world Oscar Valdez’s division debut against Andres Gutierrez and Carl Frampton’s showdown against the unbeaten Tyler McCreary (ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT).

Adames (18-0, 14 KOs), the WBO No. 1 contender, is 5-0 with three knockouts since making his Top Rank debut on the Vasiliy Lomachenko-Jorge Linares undercard in May 2018. A native of Elías Piña, Dominican Republic, he is 3-0 in 2019, including a fourth-round KO over Frank Galarza to win the NABO junior middleweight title. He defended that belt June 28 with a unanimous decision over the late Patrick Day.

Teixeira (30-1, 22 KOs), the WBO No. 2 contender, is seeking to become the next world champion from Brazil. He is 4-0 since suffering the lone defeat of his career, a second-round stoppage to Curtis Stevens at middleweight. A southpaw boxer-puncher, he last fought April 13 in Monterrey, Mexico, defending his WBO Latino junior middleweight belt with a majority decision over Mario Alberto Lozano.

Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames pressed the action and landed the harder punches, ultimately coming away with a 10-round unanimous decision over Patrick Day to retain his WBO NABO title at Pechanga Resort Casino.

Adames (18-0, 14 KO) prevailed by scores of 97-93 2x and 98-91, as Day (17-3-1, 6 KOs) saw his six-bout winning streak snapped. The Dominican puncher wobbled Day in the final round, but Day was ultimately saved by the final bell.

Adames, who had knocked out three straight opponents coming into the fight, now has his sights set on a world title shot.

“Tonight was about getting work in. I listened to my coach, Robert Garcia,” Adames said. “This was my second fight with him, and it was about getting good rounds, and we did that. In the 10th round, he told me he was ready to go. If I had one more minute I think I would’ve finished him, but in the end, I think it was a very good performance on my behalf.”

Photo by Mikey Williams

Live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes FRIDAY, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT from Pechanga Resort Casino, California

154-pound slugger Carlos Adames (17-0, 14 KOs) will defend his NABO belt in a 10-rounder versus upstart Patrick Day (17-2-1, 6 KOs).

At Wednesday’s final press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.

Carlos Adames

“I had a very good amateur record. I’m a very talented fighter, and so is Patrick Day, but there is no fighter alive that can defeat me in the ring.”

On training with Robert Garcia and adding a nutritionist to his camp

“They are a great team. I’ve been training hard with Robert and Perfecting Athletes on the nutritional part, but I also have a lot of confidence in my talent.”

“The Dominican Republic is known for having good baseball players, but I’m trying to make it known that the country has good boxers as well.”

Patrick Day

“My most recent success comes from within, my hunger, my desire. I just want to be great at something, not only in boxing but in life. And in life, I just happen to choose to box. That’s the avenue that I want to do. I’m not going to be mediocre. I suffered two defeats early in my career, so I had to {look within} and really evaluate myself.”

“This is a great opportunity. It’s an opportunity I’ve dreamed of – my opponent as well – and we’re both deserving of this opportunity. In my estimation, we are the two best 154-pounders in the world. These guys that have the belts, they’re good. It seems like Al Haymon really has his hands on the 154-pound division with all these prospects and champions, but these guys haven’t been tested yet. And they’re not the real deal. They talk big, they have the big ego and they’re really cocky, but what have they done? They’re not fighters like me and Carlos are. We’re going to set the tone, and we’re going to set an example for the 154-pound division.”

Photo: Mikey Williams

WBO NABO Jr. Middleweight Championship Fight: Adames Vs. Day

On Friday, June 28 at Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California, undefeated Dominican puncher Carlos “Caballo Bronco” Adames will defend his NABO 154-pound belts against Patrick Day. The fight will be televised live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets for this world championship event priced at $149, $129, $79, $59, and $29 are on sale now and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or in person at the Pechanga Resort Casino box office.

Adames (17-0, 14 KOs) has won three straight bouts by knockout since electing to campaign at 154 pounds. A former amateur star from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Adames grew up with 35 siblings and turned to the sport at the age of 12 after an older brother took him to a gym. In his last bout, April 20 on the Terence Crawford-Amir Khan undercard, he blew away perennial contender Frank Galarza in four rounds. Day (17-2-1, 6 KOs), from Freeport, New York, has won six in a row, including two wins against previously unbeaten fighters. He made a statement Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, outboxing Ismail Iliev (11-0-1 at the time) over 10 rounds.

“This fight represents a big step in the right direction for me and my career,” Adames said. “I am thrilled with this opportunity, and as I have always promised to my people of the Dominican Republic, I will be the next world champion from the island and the new face of Dominican boxing.”

“Time to show the world who Pat Day is,” Day said. “These are the fights I dreamed of on my way to top 10 contention. Now that I am here, I intend to advance to a world title. I respect what Carlos brings to the table, but he has never fought a guy like me. I am focused on winning and looking good doing it.”

Photo by Mikey Williams / Top Rank

#ESPNPPV #MSG #NY Dominican Carlos Adames (17-0, 14 KOs) moved one step closer to a 154-pound world title shot, stopping Frank “Notorious” Galarza (20-3-2, 12 KOs) in the fourth round of a scheduled 10-rounder to claim the WBO NABO Jr. Middleweight Title. Adames floored Galarza with a left hook early in the fourth and unloaded on him until Benjy Esteves stepped in to halt the carnage.

“This was a message to all of the 154-pounders,” Adames said. “I want to face all the best. I’m coming hungry, and I’m determined to fight for a world title by the end of the year. I don’t care who has a title. I want it.”

Photo by Mikey Williams Top Rank