The current study elucidates the effects of cementite spheroidization and pro-eutectoid ferrite on the sliding wear resistance in medium carbon (0.45wt%C) and high carbon (1wt%C) steels. Both steels were initially heat treated to obtain a fully pearlite or ferrite + pearlite microstructure. Spheroidizing heat treatments were performed on both steels to spheroidize the pearlitic cementite. Sliding wear tests were conducted using a pin-on-disk wear tester with the steel specimens as the disk and an alumina ($Al_2O_3$) ball as the pin. The sliding wear tests were carried out at room temperature in air with humidity of $40{pm}2%$. Adapted sliding distance and applied load was 300m and 100N, respectively. Sliding speed was 0.1m/s and the wear-track radius was 9 mm. Worn surfaces and cross-sections of the wear track were examined using an SEM. Micro Vickers hardness of the wear-track subsurface was measured as a function of depth from the worn surface. Hardness and sliding-wear resistance of both steel decreased with increased spheroidization of the cementite. The decrease was more significant in the fully pearlitic steel (1wt%C steel). The steel with the pro-eutectoid ferrite showed relatively higher wear resistance compared to the spheroidized pearlitic steel.