By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
Polish-born former light heavyweight (175 pounds) and cruiserweight (200 pounds) champion, Tomasz Adamek, of Jersey City, earned his 10th consecutive victory, and only his third as a heavyweight by majority decision in defense of his IBF International crown against Chris Arreola in Saturday night's HBO-televised main event at Citizen's Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.
The 33-year-old, 6-foot-2, Adamek improved to 41-1, with 27 KOs against the 6-4, 29-year-old Arreola (28-2, 25 KOs), of Riverside, Calif, who represented Adamek's most difficult challenge to date.
Joe Pasquale and Barry Druxman had it for Adamek, 117-111, and, 115-113, while judge Tony Crebs had it even at 114-114.
FanHouse had it for Adamek, 116-112.
"It was a tough fight. Chris Arreola prepared very good. He had good conditioning, but I was smarter, and I was faster, and that's how I won," said Adamek, who was out-weighed, 217-to-250, by Arreola, a man who tipped the scales at a career-high, 263-pounds for his last bout. "I was never hurt. I'm too quick. I have a tough chin."
Adamek had dedicated Saturday's bout to the 96 passengers and crew who died in last Saturday's plane crash in Russia near Smolensk, including Polish President, Lech Kaczynski, and several political, military and religious leaders.
Arreola was coming off of December's fourth-round knockout of Brian Minto (34-3, 21 KOs), whom he stopped for the first time in the latter's career. In September, Arreola, himself, was KO'd in the 10th-round by WBC champion, Vitali Klitschko (39-2, 37 KOs).
Arreola was gracious in defeat, agreeing that the judges scored the fight correctly.
"First of all, I want to thank all of the Polish fans who came out to see the fight. You guys are great fans, and you have a great fighter in Tomasz Adamek," said Arreola. "And all of my Mexican fans, you have to give it up for Tomasz Adamek. He's a great [fighter.] But I came out and I blew my opportunity."
Adamek suffered his only loss in February 2007, when he was dethroned as WBC light heavyweight (175 pounds) champion by Chad Dawson.
"I didn't plan for this guy to beat my a**, but he beat me, man, he beat me," said Arreola. "He did what he wanted to do in the ring, and you know, everybody's got to be proud of him, and my hat's off to him."
Arreola said that he fought with an injured leftt hand in the fifth round, but fought on. He showed no signs of pain, however, until the 10th round, when his straight right hand landed on the crown of Adamek's head.
"It started earlier in the fifth round, but I kept going and going. But then, finally, in the 10th round, I hurt it really bad," said Arreola. "But in all honesty, man, he was the better fighter tonight, and he fought his gameplan to perfection."
Adamek debuted in boxing's largest division with October's fifth-round knockout of former world heavyweight title contender, Andrew Golota (41-8-1, 33 KOs), whom Adamek dropped in the first, and, fifth rounds, despite being out-weighed, 214-to-256.
"My dream is to win a championship in a third weight category, and I know that I will," said Adamek, who was a career-high 220 for his last fight, a Feb. 6, 12-round, unanimous decision over over former U.S. Olympian, Jason Estrada.
"My boss will enter into negotiations for a title fight, so, tomorrow, I'll think about that. But tonight, I won," said Adamek, who was out-weighed, 237-to-220.5, by Estrada. "I'm happy. And I want to thank all of the people who came to watch my fight. Thank you to everybody."
Adamek's 10-bout run includes six knockouts.
Arreola vs. Adamek
Round 1: The 6-foot-2 Adamek weighed in at 217 pounds -- 33 pounds less than the 250-pound, 6-4 Arreola. Adamek comes forward, jabbing lightly to the body. Arreola reaches with a jab and lands. Adamek tags Arreola twice to the body. Arreola backs up, which is not what he should be doing. Arreola reaches and misses with a right. Adamek clinches. Adamek jabs to the body. Tentative round by both fighters. Arreola misses with a right. Arreola fires three times to the body. Arreola moves in behind his jab. Adamek lands a right as does Arreola. A left lifts Adamek. Adamek jabs nicely. Adamek closes with a nice combination. Adamek's round, 10-9.
Round 2: Arreola still gives ground as Adamek paws with his jab. Arreola steps forward with his jab but they fall short. A left hook counters Adamek, and they trade right hands. Adamek's speed is apparent. Arreola tries and misses an overhand right over the jab. Arreola lands a nice right to the head, but Adamek comes back with his own. Adamek doubles on the jab. A nice, long right lands for Arreola, and another. Arreola's hard jab moves Adamek. The power of Arreola is apparent. Adamek lands a three-punch combination and moves away. A left hand by Arreola snaps back Adamek's head. Arreola's round, 10-9; Even, 19-19.
Round 3: Adamek stands his ground and lands three jabs. Adamek continues to out-speed Arreola, ending with a nice right to the body. Arreola lands one of two attempted jabs but takes a right. Arreola takes a one-two over his jab. Two jabs land for Arreola but Adamek moves away. Adamek's jab and a followup right land. Adamek clinches. A left lands for Adamek. Arreola is following. Arreola lands a left hook that moves Adamek, but Adamek gets off more. Arreola lands a nice left hook to the body, but Adamek, yet again, closes by out-working him with a three-punch combination. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 29-28.
Round 4: Adamek continues to get in and out, getting off and moving away. Arreola comes on with a nice right that may have hurt Adamek. Adamek takes another right hand. Adamek jabs and come with a three-punch combination. A nice right hand swivel's Arreola's head. A doluble-left hook lands for Adamek. Adamek is without his mouth piece, yet remains elusive. Adamek beats Arreola with a four-punch combination, but he takes three right hands before the bell, moving backward. Adamek may be shaken, even as he won the round. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 39-37.
Round 5: Adamek may be tempting fate by dropping his hands, even as Arreola's right eye is red and may be bleeding. Adamek continues to double and triple jab to the head and also to reach Arreola's body. Adamek wins an exchange against the slower Arreola. Adamek jabes twice but takes a right that forces him to clinch. Arreola clubs with two right hands that appear to hurt Adamek and have him trying to clinch. Adamek drives home a right cross but takes a left. Adamek clinches. Arreola's round, 10-9; Adamek 48-47.
Round 6: Adamek gets a respit as his corner is allowed about an extra minute to repair the sole of his apparently dislodged left shoe. Arreola presses, but Adamek moves away, jabbing as he goes. Adamek lands a one-two and escapes harm. A left hand lands for Arreola, who then, takes a three-punch combination. A right hand over the top lands for Adamek. There is a low blow warning given to Adamek. Adamek lands a left to the body and moves away. Referee says Arreola's left eye was cut by a head butt. Arreola steps up the pressure and lands through Adamek's combination, driving a right uppercut home in a neutral corner. Arreola's round, 10-9; Even, 57-57.
Round 7: Arreola's pressure is starting to pay off. Adamek peppers three shots to the body, but Arreola jabs and loads up and misses the right. A short left lands for Adamek, but he takes a right. Arreola's jab finds it's mark, as does a left over Adamek's left. A lull in the action. Arreola takes a left uppercut. Arreola may have given the round away based on inactivity, as Adamek closes strong. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 67-66.
Round 8: Adamek out-landed Arreola, 15-7, in round No. 7. Another clash of heads. Adamek fires a four-punch combination to the body and clinches. Adamek is out-landing Arreola, but not hurting him. He's simply out-working the larger man. A nice left-right jiggles Arreola's midsection. Arreola isn't getting off in close. Arreola jabs three times, missing twice, and also, failing to follow up with a right. Adamek is content to jab from a distance. A left hook lands for Adamek, as does a jab to the body. Inactivity, yet again, has allowed Adamek to pocket another round. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 77-75.
Round 9: Flurries and movement have given Adamek the edge over the larger man. Adamek takes a hard right early. He looks shaken, but he bravely continues to out-land Arreola, even though the blows are light but crisp. Another three-punch combination to the body by Adamek. Adamek clinches. Adamek jabs and moves away, then, lands an overhand right to the eye of Arreola. a nice jab to the body by Adamek, who then clinches. Adamek is simply out-boxing Arreola. Adamek's jab splits Arreola's guard. Arreola stops and stands in the final seconds, frustrated that Adamek won't stand and fight. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 87-84.
Round 10: Adamek has out-landed Arreola, 22-5, in power shots over the last three rounds. Arreola lands a solid hand that hurts Adamek. Another right hand shakes Adamek again. Referee warns for head butts. Adamek clinches. Still another right hand lands, forcing Adamek to clinch. Arreola winces as if he hurts his right hand and he backs off. arreola jabs and moves forward, landing a left-right combination. Arreola has stopped throwing the right hand,having hurt it on the top of Adamek's head. A jab lands for Arreola, but no right hand follow up is there. Adamek steps in and lands a right hand. Adamek fires a left and a right, but Arreola finally throws a left-right combination. Arreola's round, 10-9; Adamek, 96-94.
Round 11: Arreola shakes Adamek early with his right hand, pushing, apparently through the pain. Arreola has indicated to his corner that it is his right bicep, not his fist, that is hurting. Arreola catches Adamek with a right-left combination. A left hook lands for Arreola, who then backs off apparently in pain. Adamek steps in and lands to the body, but later, takes a left uppercut from Arreola. Adamek lands a three-punch combination. Arreola's right eye is cut, as is his left. Adamek surges late with a number of shots, and, enthusiastically raises his right hand skyward triumphantly. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 106-103.
Round 12: Adamek is on his bicycle to start the round and circles and jabs. Arreola lands a left, but Adamek fires a one-two over the top. Adamek digs three times to the body and clinches. Arreola can't catch the smaller man. A right hand over the top lands for Adamek, who then clinches. Adamek ducks under a right hand and clinches. Adamek fireds a right over the top and moves away. They clinch. Adamek will not engage over the final 28 seconds, even as Arreola beckons him forward. Bell sounds, both fighters raise their hands as if in victory. Adamek's round, 10-9; Adamek, 116-112.
ADAMEK WINS A MAJORITY DECISION, 117-111, 115-113, AND, 1114-114, RESPECTIVELY, ON THE CARDS OF JOE PASQUALE, BARRY DRUXMAN, AND, TONY CREBS.
FanHouse has it for Adamek, 116-112.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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