By James Slater: Those fans who saw it as a huge mismatch as soon as it was announced may well breathe a sigh of relief: Tomasz Adamek will not be squaring off with 43-year-old James “Lights Out” Toney on September 8th as was originally mentioned as the plan some days back.
Kathy Duva, speaking with Fightnews.com, said the following:
“As we were not able to come to terms with Toney by the time the IBF unexpectedly ordered Adamek to participate in a four-man eliminator, we have decided to explore that option and move on.”
As fans may have read, the IBF-ordered tourney will (hopefully) see Cuban Odlanier Solis fight Bulgaria’s unbeaten Kubrat Pulev, and Adamek against Russia’s unbeaten Alexander Ustinov. This idea is a whole lot more appealing than an Adamek-Toney fight. Toney will now move on himself and do who knows what (maybe he will try to angle a shot at “regular” WBA heavyweight titlist Alexander Povetkin: I wouldn’t be too shocked to see this take place, would you?) and Adamek will hopefully get it on with the Russian giant who is currently 27-0(21).
It’s not clear who Adamek will fight on his planned Sept 8th bout at the Prudential Centre (if this date still stands), or if he will actually fight Ustinov on that date. Adamek, however, will have his work cut out for him if he does fight Ustinov. At a whopping (and deceptively agile) 308-pounds, the 6’7” Ustinov would easily be the tallest, heaviest, just plain biggest opponent of the former light-heavyweight and cruiserweight’s pro career.
Can Adamek use his speed and work-rate to his advantage and pound out a decision win over Ustinov? A stoppage win sure would impress and also make a statement for “Goral.”
The Solis-Pulev fight looks like a tasty match-up also, and the two winners would then meet, with the eventual winner having earned a shot at current IBF heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko.
The IBF should be applauded for ordering this four-man tournament. As should those people behind deciding to scrap the Adamek-Toney fight (a fight that really could have been ugly, if the Denis Lebedev-Toney affair is anything to go by).