Was Tomasz Adamek Exposed: True Heavyweight or Blown Up Cruiserweight?
By Geno McGahee
Michael Grant, the 6 foot, 8 inch heavyweight, was the opponent to be used as a gage to see how well former Light Heavyweight and Cruiserweight Champion, Tomasz Adamek, 42-1, 27 KO’s, would do against the Klitschko brothers, the holders of the majority of the heavyweight titles. Although Adamek walked away with a victory, I think that the answer to that question is clear. He does not possess the right style or power to worry Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko…at least at this point in time.
Grant was exposed as a total spent force, unable to pull the trigger on his right hand, but on the rare time that he landed it, he seriously buckled Adamek. In the final round of the fight, he nearly had him out of there but was too much of a tired giant to get the late TKO win.
Going into the fight with Grant, the thought was that Adamek would get the TKO midway through the fight. Grant was older and his chin has betrayed him on several occasions. Considering that Adamek was in his prime, looked very sharp against Chris Arreola, and was facing an old fighter, some predicted an early stoppage win, but outside of one or two moments where Grant looked a little wobbly, Adamek seemed more like an annoyance to him, one that he couldn’t catch. His punches landed with some consistency and did not bother Grant.
It’s fair to say that the Klitschko brothers take a better shot then Grant, and it’s also fair to say that they are more accurate and schooled and know how to set up their shots better. Adamek is the perfect opponent for either because of his lack of power and his questionable defense and stamina. Although he was able to stay on his feet with a guy like Arreola, he will have a world of trouble taking a punch from one of the giant champs in boxing.
If Adamek cannot compete with the Klitschkos, the other option is WBA Champion, David “Hayemaker” Haye, and this is the fight that they should be going for. Haye, like Adamek, has come up from cruiserweight, a division he easily dominated, but his style is more suited to deal with the big heavyweights. He’s quick, powerful, and his timing is perfect.
Unlike Grant, Haye would catch Adamek, and this would most likely not be a pretty sight. Haye is the best option out of the three, but I have a feeling that he would lose the quickest against him.
Odlanier Solis, 16-0, 12 KO’s, really liked what he saw from Adamek, so much so that he challenged him to a showdown. Solis is a guy to watch because of his power and raw talent, but his conditioning is a question mark. He reminds me of Arreola…a talented big man that doesn’t come into the ring in fighting shape. Solis has recently starched Monte Barrett in two rounds, the same Barrett that took David Tua the distance recently and knocked him down in the process. Solis – Adamek would be a good fight for both men. Adamek would probably have no interest in Solis. After the Grant win and the mediocre performance, I’m sure that all of the champions are looking at him as the next up for a shot.
Adamek needs to fight the smaller heavies. He would do well with an Alexander Povetkin, but the top of the division has a lot of giants. Nikolay Valuev, the former WBA Heavyweight Champion may be a good one for him. Valuev would have the same problems as Grant had because of his lack of speed and lack of a punch. Valuev has a big following in Europe and Adamek has a growing following and it would be a good fight for both men. It wouldn’t be a pretty fight, but an interesting one.
It’s not all bad news for Adamek the heavyweight. There was a fighter that moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight and the early comments from sportswriters was that he was too small and took too many shots to be a threat in the heavyweight division. When he fought for the heavyweight title, most pointed out his size and said that he would not be able to handle a true heavyweight. That man was Evander Holyfield. It’s extremely premature to make the comparison but if you took some of the clippings from the late 1980s when Holyfield moved up, you would see the similar thoughts.
Adamek may still be growing into a heavyweight. He’s only fought a handful of fights and won them all, and one was against a top contender in Arreola. His conditioning and defense have to be improved in order to make a legitimate run at the heavyweight title…and this may just be an adjustment period that we are seeing. He’s not used to the added pounds and once he gets comfortable, he may be a better fighter, and surprise the boxing world.
I would like to see Adamek get some more experience at heavyweight. Holyfield and Michael Moorer both had a good string of fights before challenging for the heavyweight crown and Adamek could benefit from three or so more fights. There is also the chance that Sam Peter could oust Wladimir Klitschko from the heavyweight title and that would be a good opportunity for Adamek due to style. Adamek should stay on the sidelines and pick his spots until he develops into a better heavyweight, if he can. A shot at any champion at this time seems to have disaster written all over it. I don’t think that many could watch the fight with Michael Grant and see future greatness for the Polish heavyweight.
Boxing is about surprises and even if Adamek crashes and burns at heavyweight, it should be noted that his approach and willingness to fight regularly and against reasonable opposition should be commended. He is good for boxing even if he isn’t a top heavyweight.