Say Hello to the Latest Heavyweight Contender

A new player announced his arrival amongst the big boys as Tomasz Adamek added to the heavyweight division's continued rejuvenation with his five frame implosion of Andrew Golota in Lodz, Poland on Saturday night.

“I could fight either of the Klitschko brothers in about a year,” Adamek was reported to say afterward. “I'm not afraid of them, or anybody.”

Whether or not Adamek will ever be ready for a true heavyweight championship fight became much more of an interesting question over the weekend. He was definitely ready for Golota, and it appears Adamek has already got enough mauling moxie to be competitive or victorious against many more experienced heavyweight contenders.

Golota was somewhat ready, somewhat willing, but completely unable to mount any sort of effective assault against the much smaller Adamek, who picked Golota apart then shut him down with an consistently impressive barrage of punches that zinged into their lurching target immediately after the first bell.

Adamek kept his hands up against Golota's considerable firepower, and quickly scored with strong jabs to his larger foe's face and ample breadbasket. When Adamek unleashed wicked one-twos, up and down, again and again, the die was cast. When Adamek exploded short overhand rights off Golota's jutting jaw for knockdowns in the first and fifth rounds, they were exclamation points
on Adamak's new, 200 plus pounds status.

“This was a tragedy for me,” Golota told the media. “Perhaps my boxing career is over.”

Golota's loss looks to be the division's gain. There are all sorts of intriguing slugfest scenarios that Adamek could sign for with a strong expectation of victory, including fringe first level bouts against fighters like Cristobal Arreola or Jason Estrada.  

If Adamek wanted to step up to an even higher echelon, he's probably also got a decent probability of being able to defeat a top ten performer like Ruslan Chagaev or Alexander Dimitrenko, in what could be a fine two-way fights.

David Haye would be a good payday and potentially great bout. If Haye beats Nikolai Valuev, that fight could get signed by next summer, whatever John Ruiz might have to say.

Adamek has much better technique and could be as strong as upstart Denis Boytsev but that pairing doesn't sit well in the risk-reward column for either fighter, especially the undefeated Boytsov. Adamek matching up with prospect Odlanier Solis probably falls into the same wayside.

For the fans, perhaps the best immediate bout from a styles make fights perspective would match Adamek with slick Alexander Povetkin.

One proposed contest that will probably not be on the drawing board any longer is a match against Bernard Hopkins. Adamek's trouncing of Golota proably eliminated that from Hopkins's consideration with a “whew”.

After his big step up on Saturday, Adamek hinted that negotiations with the Klitschkos had already begun, and that he might have been considered as a potential dance partner for Vitali's December engagement. Adamek indicted he declined any such overtures because he understood it would be too much, too soon.

After disposing of Golota, Adamek looks plenty ready for another big step in the heavyweight division.

Promoter Kathy Duva said they would go wherever the money was, which proably means Adamek won't be doing too much holiday dieting.

“I still might knock out some more cruiserweights,” said Adamek.

Probably not for a while. Both team Adamek and the K2 brain trusts understand how lucrative an eastern Europe engagement could be.  

Financial figures for Adamek's latest purse were unavailable, but they're pretty certain to get bigger and bigger, just like his
prospective opponents.