Williams successfully made weight, but not long after, he received soul-crushing news from his promoter, Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn. Adames had been hospitalized due to weight cut complications and withdrew from the fight, so Williams’ first world title shot wouldn't come to fruition.

“I did have an idea that it probably wasn't going to go on,” Williams told The Ring. “We had to share the scale to see where you were that night, and they kept saying we needed to return the scale, be`cause Adames’ team needed it. Anytime somebody needs it multiple times throughout the night, you know they’re probably struggling.

“I had kind of a couple of premonitions about what was going on, but I thought they would still be professional and get it done.”

Just under two months later, they’re scheduled to do battle again in a 12-round bout for Adames’ WBC middleweight title on Saturday at Caribe Royale in Orlando on DAZN (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

While there’s no sugarcoating the heartache that comes with losing a world title opportunity at no fault of your own, Williams (20-1, 13 KOs) knew he couldn’t dwell on it and still had to handle business to land another shot. He also felt there was no way he could let an opportunity to fight at Madison Square Garden slip through his grasp.

The 29-year-old southpaw remained on the "Ring 6" card January 31 and beat Wendy Toussaint by unanimous decision in a 10-round super middleweight bout.

“It sucked, but I didn't feel as if I was hindered from performing,” Williams said. “I just felt like I needed to perform. That was the main thing, and then the talk that me and Eddie had, I knew that we would get the fight eventually.”

Adames (24-1-1, 18 KOs) will be fighting for the first time in over a year.

The Elias Pina, Dominican Republic, native last fought to a controversial split draw against Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) in February 2025. Adames will be making his third title defense. Williams, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has won four straight fights since suffering his lone defeat, an 11th-round stoppage to Hamzah Sheeraz in June 2024.

With the fight being rescheduled and taking place in the same place where he earned the most important win of his career, a unanimous decision over Patrice Volny last March, Williams believes the stars have aligned for him to reach the pinnacle of his career on Saturday.

“I feel like I got momentum,” Williams said. “I'm just excited [and] happy everything is working in our favor, and for me to have a certain energy to take the World Championship.

“I know that I have that. I'm ready to fight, to give it everything I got.”