by Geoffrey Ciani (Interviewed by Jenna J & Geoffrey Ciani) – This week’s 115th edition of On the Ropes Boxing Radio featured an exclusive interview with heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek (43-1, 28 KOs) who is scheduled to face Kevin McBride(35-8-1, 29 KOs) on April 9 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Adamek, who was also joined by head trainer Roger Bloodworth, is a former champion in the light heavyweight and cruiserweight divisions. If he is successful in his bout against McBride, he is slated to face on of the Klitschko brothers for a portion of the heavyweight championship this September. Here is a complete transcript of the interview with Adamek:
JENNA J: It’s time for our second guest of this week’s episode. He is the former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion and he is also the current number one ranked heavyweight contender. We are joined by Tomasz Adamek. How’s everything going today, Tomasz?
TOMASZ ADAMEK: Good, good.
JENNA: Excellent. Well Tomasz, you have a very big fight against Kevin McBride on April 9. How have your preparations been going?
ADAMEK: Oh my preparations are going very well. We’re training in the Poconos in Pennsylvania. I feel very well. I’m healthy. I’m learning every day. It’s perfect!
JENNA: Now Tomasz, what do you expect from your opponent Kevin McBride?
ADAMEK: Well he’s a tall man. He’s strong. I am much quicker. That is my advantage. I have to be careful of right hands. That’s it. I have to watch out in this fight but this is my last step before a title fight.
JENNA: Alright now Kevin is no stranger to upsets. He beat Mike Tyson. What do you think of that win he had over the all time great Mike Tyson?
ADAMEK: He beat Mike Tyson and he made a good fight. I congratulate him, but I’m Tomasz Adamek. I’m different than Mike Tyson. I’m faster and difficult to catch. Everybody has difficulty catching me and my style is one where I look to move around the ring.
JENNA: This fight here against Kevin McBride is in preparation for a September fight with one of the Klitschko brothers. Do you at all worry that you could underestimate Kevin with such a big fight down the line?
ADAMEK: Every fight is dangerous because it’s boxing. I can stay at home eight months or nine months waiting on a Klitschko, but boxing is my job. I have to learn with Roger at the gym. I feel every day that I am a better fighter. I am learning. Roger is a good coach and I learn every day. That’s why I’m fighting before Klitschko.
JENNA: Now Roger, you’re on the line with us right now. I’m curious, what is your opinion of the opponent Kevin McBride in this particular fight as preparation for somebody like Klitschko?
ROGER BLOODWORTH: Well we’re not preparing for Klitschko. We’re preparing for Kevin McBride. One fight has nothing to do with the other. You have to take each fight as it comes and prepare for that fight, so right now the objective is to beat Kevin McBride.
JENNA: Alright now Tomasz, how do you expect to deal with the size of Kevin McBride? He is probably going to be the heaviest opponent you ever faced.
ADAMEK: We need a big opponent before Klitschko because Klitschko is a tall man and we took on a big opponent in Kevin McBride.
BLOODWORTH: Jenna, when I said we’re taking it one fight at a time that’s true, but we did pick Kevin because he is big like the Klitschkos and he will give Tomasz a chance to be in there with somebody who’s big and he’ll learn how to deal with that. Without that experience it would be difficult, so in that sense we did pick him because he’s big like the Klitschkos and Tomasz can learn to deal with it.
JENNA: Alright guys, we’re also joined by my Co-Host Geoff.
GEOFFREY CIANI: Hi Tomasz. It’s a pleasure to have you on the show.
ADAMEK: Thank you.
CIANI: Tomasz I wanted to ask you, this will be your seventh time fighting at the Prudential Center. How do you feel about fighting again in Newark, New Jersey?
ADAMEK: I’m very happy coming to the Prudential Center again. For me it’s better because it’s close to my home and close for my fans. It’s very good for everybody.
CIANI: Now Tomasz, you talked about training with Roger before. What has the transition been like for you training under Roger for a more American style?
ADAMEK: The American style is from the US and it’s different from the style in Europe. I need to learn the US style because fighting at heavyweight is very hard and one punch can change a fight.
CIANI: You’ve had four fights since your first fight at heavyweight when you faced Andrew Golota. How do you think you’ve improved since that time?
ADAMEK: I feel I’m a better fighter. I’m a better fighter than when I started with Golota. I’m learning every day. Roger is a good coach and he changed me. Everybody can see I’m a different fighter than when I started in the heavyweight division.
CIANI: Tomasz, can you tell the fans what it was like to win your first title at light heavyweight when you beat Paul Briggs?
ADAMEK: For me it was a dream. When I started professional boxing I wanted to be champion of the world. I got a chance with Paul Briggs and I won, but I had problems with the weight so I moved to cruiserweight and I won again with Cunningham. I’m growing more because the food is very good in the United States and I’m a heavyweight now and it’s my dream to become champion in the heavyweight division. I’m very close and I want to be champion and I will!
CIANI: Roger, I have a quick question for you and I’m wondering as a trainer, do you at all worry? When you look at like the rematch between Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones, that almost got derailed because Jones lost to Green. Do you at all worry that this fight could threaten the title shot with Klitschko give that McBride is known to score a big upset?
BLOODWORTH: Oh, of course! No doubt about it could happen, but I don’t worry about it. I just pay attention to what we have to get done. What you’re saying is a very real possibility.
JENNA: Now Tomasz, the biggest fight that you had at heavyweight and the win that really defined you was your win over Chris Arreola. Can you tell us a little bit about that fight?
ADAMEK: The fight with Arreola was very tough. I think the fight with Arreola was the last good fight. There aren’t many fights in the heavyweight division like our fight. People dream about fights like Tomasz Adamek versus Chris Arreola. That’s why I moved to heavyweight. I think my coming fight for the title with a Klitschko will be very exciting for fans.
JENNA: Alright now Tomasz, you followed that fight up with a win against Michael Grant and you had some difficulties later in that fight. Can you tell us about that one and how you are going to make adjustments to face someone tall like Kevin McBride?
BLOODWORTH: Let me answer that. First of all, everybody says he had trouble later on in the fight. Look at the film. Grant threw a lot of punches later in the fight but he didn’t land very many. I think Tomasz got hit once or twice solid in the fight. So I liked what I saw. He was able to get under Grant’s punches. He didn’t take any directly and I got to give it up to Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. I mean he trained Grant well for that fight. It was probably the best I had ever seen him fight. He fought at a controlled pace. He still had stamina at the end of the fight as well as the beginning. I thought Grant fought an excellent fight and I thought Tomasz fought a better fight. So I actually thought the fight Tomasz fought against Grant was his best fight in the heavyweight division.
JENNA: Tomasz, if you are able to win against Kevin McBride and you’re able to win a heavyweight title against a Klitschko, what will that mean to you to become the heavyweight champion?
ADAMEK: I want to be champion. We’re preparing our second year in heavyweight. It is my dream to be champion at heavyweight. I moved to heavyweight after being light heavyweight champion and cruiser. I said to my wife and to my friends that I want to be champion in the heavyweight division. I’m very close. We’re training very hard with Roger. I want to beat McBride and I want to beat Klitschko. This is my life. This is my dream.
JENNA: Great. What are your thoughts on the Klitschko brothers as champions?
ADAMEK: The two brothers are very good because they are champions. For me it doesn’t matter which Klitschko, I want to be champion and I can win against everybody!
JENNA: Now this question is for Roger. With this fight coming up against Kevin McBride, what do you think is the most important thing for Tomasz to do to allow him to be successful?
BLOODWORTH: I think the most important thing that Tomasz has to keep in mind when fighting Kevin McBride, because he is such a big is to not get hit after he punches. He has to hit Kevin and not get hit. Obviously in the heavyweight division if you’re at the wrong place at the wrong time you got a problem.
JENNA: Alright, I have one final question for Tomasz Adamek. Is there anything you want to say to all your fans that you have out there?
ADAMEK: I want to say hello to everybody. Come to the Prudential Center on April 9 and watch me on Pay-Per-View.
JENNA: Excellent, and to Roger, is there anything you want to let the fans know about this event?
BLOODWORTH: Yeah, there is going to be a fight! I think it’s going to be a good fight because I think Kevin is going to train hard. He knows this is a great opportunity for him. He can get into the heavyweight picture if he beats Tomasz and so I know he’s coming to fight and we’re coming to fight. It’s going to be a great fight.
JENNA: Alright, well we thank you both for your time and we wish you the best of luck on April 9!
BLOODWORTH: Thank you very much.
CIANI: Thank you Tomasz! Thank you Roger! Good luck!
ADAMEK: Bye bye!
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For those interested in listening to the Tomasz Adamek interview in its entirety, it begins approximately fifty-two minutes into the program.
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