Columnist Dean Juipe: Adams looks to return to form

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at [email protected] or (702) 259-4084.

At face value, Bones Adams vs. Guty Espadas is a fight that matches men on losing streaks.

Adams, of Las Vegas, has lost his last two fights, both to Paulie Ayala.

Espadas, of Mexico, lost his last fight to journeyman Hector Velazquez and has lost three of his five most recent fights as well.

But the stakes are considerable, and Adams recognizes the obvious.

"I think it's true that both of us need a win," he said Wednesday. "He needs a win over a big-name guy, and I need a win, too.

"I think we're both looking at this fight the same way."

Adams vs. Espadas is part of Saturday's pay-per-view card at Mandalay Bay and will precede the Ayala vs. Erik Morales main event. With promoter Bob Arum indicating his preference to match the two featherweight fights' winners by next spring, both Adams and Espadas have reason to be encouraged.

"I don't think the fans will be hurt either way," Adams said of the mix-and-match philosophy Arum is employing. "I'll be glad to win this fight and then get the winner of the other one, and that's something I know can get done because we all have the same promoter."

Adams, 28, is 41-5-3 with 19 knockouts.

Espadas, also 28, is 35-5 with 22 KOs.

The sports book at Mandalay Bay is not listing this fight, but Adams is unquestionably the favorite.

With Espadas having lost not only to Velazquez but to Morales and, in between, William Abelyan, within the past two years, many observers feel he's shot. Yet Adams is taking nothing for granted.

"The thing about the fight with Abelyan is that Guty couldn't have beaten him on his best day," Adams said. "I've sparred with William and he's a very strong young man who moves a lot, is always in shape and is a southpaw.

"I don't pay any attention to the fact Espadas lost that fight. And as for the one with Morales, a lot of people thought he won."

As such, he's treating this as if Espadas will be at his best.

"He's durable, he keeps coming, he's 5-foot-9 and a big guy, he's never been knocked out and he's no bum," Adams said. "He's very tough and to beat him would be a tremendous win for me."

Adams is getting $50,000 for this fight, which will come in handy after several months of travel (and rest) since he was last in the ring, Feb. 23 in his second of two losses to Ayala.

"I needed some time off," Adams said. "I traveled a lot (to Indiana, Florida and California) and I feel better than ever."

The trade-off is that Adams had to work some excess weight off once he returned to his training camp in Big Bear, Calif.

"It helps and it hurts to have time off," he said. "It helps overall, but it hurts when you start training again and start to feel beat up."

Always a fighter with some weight issues, Adams says he's at 126 pounds because "making 122 was killing me." Without divulging precisely what he weighed last summer, he did say "I get big."

A pro since the almost ridiculous age of 15, Adams debuted at 130 pounds and has been in the ring as heavy as 134. His two fights with Ayala were at 122 pounds, a division both men have since departed.

"Mentally, I feel better at 126," Adams said. "And physically it's a help, too."

While still a relatively young man, this will be his 50th pro fight.

"I feel stronger, smarter," Adams said. "It's like I finally know what I'm doing in there, instead of just going in and fighting."

Adams and Espadas -- who won the World Boxing Council featherweight title by beating Luisito Espinosa before losing to Morales last year -- are scheduled for 12 rounds with a minor title at stake.

Arce, 23, took the WBC title from Yosam Choi in his most recent fight, July 6 in Korea. He's getting paid $15,000 for this defense, which appears relatively easy on paper as Luna is but 18-12 with 12 KOs. But Luna, after once being 6-11 in his career, has won his last seven fights and at the age of 33 is getting a title shot that must have seemed extremely unlikely as he toiled and consistently lost during the 1990s.

Also scheduled: Dmitriy Salita, 8-0, vs. Ron Gladden, 11-6-1, six rounds, junior welterweights; Ray Sanchez, 7-0, vs. Richard Best, 4-3-2, six rounds, junior welterweights; and Mihaly Kotai, 19-0, vs. Ruben Perez, 10-5-2, eight rounds, junior middleweights.

Top Rank's plans to use pro wrestler Brian Adams in his boxing debut were interrupted when the fighter's lingering shoulder injury interfered. ... First bell is 4:45 p.m. and the pay-per-view telecast starts at 6 with Arce vs. Luna. ... Tickets are $50 to $300 and good seats remain. ... Officials for the fight card will not be selected until the Nevada State Athletic Commission meets Friday.

Asked if adding an interesting heavyweight fight, Wladimir Klitschko vs. Jameel McCline, to a Dec. 7 card at Mandalay Bay that initially headlined Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Jose Luis Castillo was a way of ensuring the card would go on regardless of Mayweather's legal troubles, promoter Bob Arum said "not exactly." The question came up due to Mayweather's lingering issues, including recently being named in a civil lawsuit brought by a man who accused him of battery. "December 7 was really Klitschko's date with HBO, and they offered me the opportunity to link it up with Mayweather's fight," Arum said. "It makes for a much stronger card and I think we've got a helluva chance to sell the place out."

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