Tomasz Adamek is tired of being referred to as a “small” heavyweight just because he held titles as a light heavyweight and cruiserweight before moving up. He insists his 220 pounds will be plenty against the 250-pound Chris Arreola when the two meet tonight on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark” from the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.
“I’m the same height and maybe a couple, OK more than a couple pounds lighter,” Adamek said. “But 220 is my natural weight. I don’t have to gain any extra pounds. I have three square meals a day, like everybody.”
Adamek, a native of Poland now based in New Jersey, has won two fights as a heavyweight but needs a win over Arreola (28-1, 25 KOs) to make the division take him seriously. Movement and crisp boxing skills will help Adamek (40-1, 27 KOs) control the bout. But he insists he won’t be afraid to exchange with the heavy-fisted Arreola, who was considered America’s best heavyweight prospect when he lost a title shot to Vitali Klitschko last September.
“I will not run from Arreola,” Adamek said. “I will be easy to find in the ring if he wants to find me. Why should I exchange punches with Chris, when I can make him miss, and then hit him? Whatever works for me I will do.”
Arreola, 28, remains confident.
“I’m sure Adamek will come prepared to beat me,” Arreola said. “But it’s not going to happen. A win over Adamek would get me a step closer to fighting for a world title again, which I am looking forward to doing in 2010.”
Adamek has built a large following fighting in front of largely Polish crowds at the Prudential Center in Newark. But he’s not afraid of facing Arreola on his home turf.
“I’m pretty confident there will be sizable Polish contingent, maybe 2,000, 3,000, maybe even more?” Adamek said. “We travel well, there’s a big Polish colony in Arizona and California, and many of my fans from East Coast and Chicago will be there. Maybe it will be red and white all over Citizens Business Bank Arena stands!”
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The Iceland volcano that brought air travel in Europe to a halt threatened tonight’s Super Six World Boxing Classic bout between Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler in Denmark.
Froch, the WBC super middleweight champion from England, was scheduled to travel to Denmark last week, but didn’t make it until Tuesday. He took a private jet for a two-hour flight to Germany, then drove another 2½ hours to get to Denmark, Kessler’s home turf. The bout will be televised on Showtime.
“I knew I was going to get there somehow,” Froch said. “But I’m glad I can now fully focus on the fight against Mikkel. It will not be a happy night for all the Danish fans in attendance. I am the best super middleweight in the world.”
Kessler (42-2, 32 KOs) desperately needs a win after losing his WBA title to Andre Ward last November in Oakland in his first fight of the round-robin tournament. Froch (26-0, 20 KOs) won a close decision over Andre Dirrell in his opening bout.
“Never in my life have I lost a fight in Denmark,” Kessler said. “My home fans give me the extra five percent I need to defeat Froch. I will knock him out.”
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Newly crowned middleweight champ Sergio Martinez is taking a public stand denouncing violence against women. “Women must be respected, not abused,” said Martinez, reacting to the recent tragedy in which boxer Edwin Valero stabbed his wife to death before committing suicide by hanging. Martinez plans to enlist fighters, promoters and other industry leaders in his cause.