By: Hans Themistode
Adam Kownacki was forced to take a long, hard look at himself in the mirror.
No matter who was placed in front of him, both oddsmakers and his crazed New York fanbase, believed he would take home the win. For the most part, both parties were right as Kownacki picked up several notable victories against the likes of Gerald Washington, Chris Arreola, and former heavyweight titlist, Charles Martin.
Heading into his showdown against fringe contender Robert Helenius in March of 2020, Kownacki was once again expected to take care of business in destructive fashion. As his Polish fans rose to their feet at the Barclay Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Kownacki appeared to be in full control. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he wasn’t.
In the blink of an eye, Kownacki hit the deck. Shortly after, he did so again, this time for good. As more than a year has gone by, Kownacki admits that not only did he lose his undefeated record on the night but also, that his ego took a huge hit as well.
“It hurts my pride a little bit that in a fight where I was a huge favorite, I got stopped,” said Kownacki on the PBC Podcast.
While it’s been quite some time since their showdown last took place, Kownacki remembers it as if it was just yesterday. When asked what went wrong on the night, Kownacki vividly recites the most painful night of his boxing career thus far.
“I got a little reckless,” explains Kownacki. “I wanted to get him out of there early. I thought I had him but he caught me with a good right hand coming in. I tried to go after him but he caught me again.”
Kownacki’s lucid memory is exacerbated by the constant waiting he’s been forced to endure. Originally, both Kownacki and Helenius were expected to face off in July on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Deontay Wilder 3. However, with the card delayed approximately three months due to Fury testing positive for COVID-19, Kownacki has been forced to patiently twiddle his thumbs as he waits for their new date, October 9th, to arrive.
With their showdown now just a few weeks away, Kownacki is salivating over the opportunity to exact his revenge. Considering the way their first contest played out, the normally aggressive Kownacki could find it more beneficial to adopt a more box-first approach. That said, as the heavyweight contender sinks back into his chair and reminisces about how he was brutally stopped over a year ago, his eyes flare in rage. In short, he wants to hand Helenius a one-sided beating that results in a knockout victory.
“I can’t wait to get in there. I wanna get him out of there. It was a good learning experience and I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen in the next couple of weeks. I definitely want to make a statement.”