IBF Cruiserweight champ Tomasz Adamek is proving himself to be a major boxing attraction as ticket sales are moving very well for his next optional title defense at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ vs. Bobby Gunn. In this interview, Adamek shares insights about his extremely loyal fan base, the importance of legacy, possibly boxing Klitschko, Hopkins, what he is concerned about from Gunn, and how his ring accomplishments are inspired by his father who passed away before Tomasz was three years old…
BoxingInsider: Everyone in Poland supports you and also you have many fans in the U.S. not just in Chicago/Newark, but the Polish communities in Vancouver, Seattle, Florida are considerable. Do you feel any pressure knowing that you are Poland’s greatest hope for having it’s first ever Hall of Fame superstar in professional boxing? How much does the sport and expectations of your fans weigh on you in the pre-fight?
Tomasz Adamek: “It’s very important to fight where it feels like home because to feel the support of the friends from different places and they accept that I’m in the ring trying to be a big star here. Like for any boxing career, that only helps to feel at home. To analyze the situation – one year ago I moved family here. This situation can only help.”
BoxingInsider: Every pro boxer is about the money. You, more than anyone because of your fearless and exciting ring style, deserve a huge payday, against Hopkins or Jones. With that said, how much do fame and legacy mean to you? How much would being inducted into the Hall of Fame mean to you?
Tomasz Adamek: “Boxing is my job. It’s professional sport so money is really important. Not only the money, I want to fight with the best boxers in the world. If I meet, for example, Roy Jones, Glen Johnson or Hopkins, this is a big motivation. Fight with big names like that is a great situation. It’s important to get very foremost name in professional boxing. Because if you have a big name in boxing, it’s easier to get a better contract from TV and then you can do all your dreams.”
BoxingInsider: How would you hope to be remembered by boxing?
Tomasz Adamek: “That would be very deep, because I’ve done a very good job for professional boxing especially in Poland already and now in United States. So this – to be in Hall of Fame – would be big, great thing.”
BoxingInsider: Your one loss is to Chad Dawson. Would you like to avenge that loss?
Tomasz Adamek: “Yes, if I have another opportunity, I will. In that fight I wasn’t feeling so good with my health and so maybe the best solution was to stop the fight before. This fight happened. Now I have more experience. If the same situation happened now, absolutely the fight would be canceled.”
BoxingInsider: You also have said a move up to heavyweight is possible.
Tomasz Adamek: “Maybe next year we’ll add more pounds and try it.”
BoxingInsider: Hopkins claims he offered you the $1.2 million on national TV recently but this was refuted by your manager. Your comment? He says you had the offer of $1.2 million to face him. Did this happen?
Tomasz Adamek: “Never. We never got this offer. Maybe it was a dream [smiles].”
BoxingInsider: Since that fight with Dawson and your first world title fight with Paul Briggs, how do you feel you have improved as a fighter?
Tomasz Adamek: “We get experience. Every day getting better. At first, coming here, it was new culture, new place, new home, new people. Every day is getting better because now we feel more established here.”
At this point I decided to ask long time trainer Andrzej Gmitruk a few questions…
BoxingInsider: Can you tell which things you are working to improve in Tomasz’s style?
Andrzej Gmitruk: “We keep our style. Because he has been in the ring about 20 years now. It would be dangerous to change everything. And we can build up some details of his technical level. And actually we try to keep his style. Because his style is very difficult for most of the American boxers.”
BoxingInsider: Why is that?
Andrzej Gmitruk: “It’s very good footwork, very good directions, speed in certain categories, he has very good speed. If you’re talking about technical level, of course you’re talking about some combinations and the left jab. And he does this to everybody. He changes the situation in the ring.”
Back to the champ…
BoxingInsider: When Haye pulled out and before Chagaev replaced him, you got an offer from K2 to face Wladimir Klitschko. True?
Tomasz Adamek: “We got proposal from Klitschko. But not now. Next year, same time, if we have 215 to 220, I will try. I will change to fight at heavyweight.”
BoxingInsider: What made you decide to start boxing and how old were you when you started?
Tomasz Adamek: “I loved it. I start when I was 12. Before I was born my father (Josef) said to my mother, When my child is born, it it’s a boy, I want him to be a boxer. My father loved boxing. (Josef Adamek passed away when Tomasz was only two years old from a bus accident. Tomasz was raised by his mom with his four sisters.)
BoxingInsider: What most concerns you about your next opponent Bobby Gunn?
Tomasz Adamek: “I don’t see before Bobby Gunn. We give him a chance at the fight, he living here (in North Jersey). We don’t get big fight now. I can’t wait till mandatories. We take – not easy fight but opponent – small fight. I can stay home and train here. Boxing is my job. I want to stay active, busy. If you stay home you’re body go down.”
BoxingInsider: Key to winning for you on July 11?
Tomasz Adamek: “Go to ring. I must make my…what is word? …I’m champion, my left jab is very strong, we have good training, good camp. I’m ready to fight this fight and next fight. Every fight I want to show the people in United States and Poland Tomasz Adamek is number one.”
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