by James Slater – First of all, Tomasz Adamek deserves great credit for agreeing to a fight with, no, for searching out a fight with, the much bigger and harder-hitting Chris Arreola. Set, as fans know, for April 24th, the important heavyweight clash will likely see the winner get a shot at one of the major titles at heavyweight. But Adamek, who struggled badly against the comparatively light-punching Jason Estrada a couple of weeks ago, looks to have one tough, tough night ahead of him against the man known as “The Nightmare.”
This is why Adamek, the former IBF cruiserweight ruler deserves credit. As popular as he is, Adamek could have taken a much easier path and would likely have been eventually awarded with a title fight anyway – he is that popular. But fighting a few “safe” opponents and then going for a major belt is not the Pole’s way and for his old-school mentality he should be congratulated. However, will “Goral’s” willingness to rumble with a proven hitter like Arreola, in what will be his third fight up at heavyweight, prove to be his undoing?
To my way of thinking, Adamek cannot win this fight. Easy to hit (as Estrada proved when catching him flush with both hands on Feb. 6th) and not a big banger himself as an approx 220-pounder, the only way Adamek could win, in my opinion, would be by out-working Arreola and winning on points – remember, Arreola’s chin is certainly proven. But at some stage, Adamek WILL get hit, and he will get hit hard. Okay, so far his chin has not let him down, but no way will he be able to eat right hand after right hand from the once-beaten slugger from Mexico/America. No way.
Unless he somehow tightens up his defence, then, it figures to be a painful night for the former 200-pound king. The action will be exciting, for as long as it lasts, but who of you would put any serious money on the fight going past, say, the 7th or 8th-round? Arreola said yesterday, at the official press conference, that he feels he may well be having to chase Adamek on fight night, because the smaller man will not want to engage him – and for this, Arreola says he will drop to around 240 to 245-pounds.
Adamek could well surprise the recent WBC heavyweight title challenger by standing and warring with him, but if he does it will be he who winds up getting the nasty surprise. Again, Adamek’s courage is commendable, and it seems he himself wants to find out if he CAN take a true heavyweight power-puncher’s best shot, but this mentality, though refreshing, will, I feel, lead to the tough Pole’s demise. To repeat, I just cannot see how Adamek will be able to shake off Arreola’s proven power.
But what will Arreola’s critics say if and when he does stop Adamek? You can bet your life some nay Sayers will come out and claim Arreola did nothing much simply because he beat a smaller man who was not the proven article in his new weight class. Despite what these folks may say, though, this is a good match-up – in terms of how it is between two guys who WANT to fight, and fight hard.
It will be explosive while it lasts, but in truth, I wouldn’t be all that surprised if Adamek is taken out almost as quickly as Brian Minto was when he met Arreola back in December. Get ready for a highly entertaining and fun four or five-round battle!