by Johnny Walker
WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko demonstrated his absolute dominance over the competition today by crushing game but overmatched challenger Tomasz Adamek in front of over 40,000 fans in Wroclaw, Poland.
Klitschko (43-2-0, 40 KOs) set the pace from the beginning with a stiff left jab that was an offensive weapon, snapping Adamek’s head back repeatedly.
Klitschko landed a big right hand that send Adamek staggering into the ropes in round two, but referee Massimo Barrovecchio incorrectly didn’t rule it a knockdown.
Adamek (44-2-0, 28 KOs) was battered around the ring for the remainder of the fight, as Klitschko fought with his hands at his sides, daring the Polish challenger to try to hit him. Vitali dominated Adamek even more than his younger brother Wladimir, The Ring magazine recognized heavyweight champion of the world, dominated the UK’s David Haye earlier this year.
Adamek, a brave former light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion, was made to look like a hopeless novice by Vitali Klitschko, who is making his own bid to be recognized as the world’s top heavyweight. Against Klitschko, Adamek simply had no idea what to do.
Adamek was sent tumbling into the ropes by another right hand in round six, and it seemed only a matter of time before Vitali got the stoppage.
The most excitement Adamek’s Polish fans got was when Klitschko went down while going after Adamek in round eight, but Barrovecchio correctly ruled this one a slip. Round nine saw the game Adamek being mercilessly tattooed by Klitschko, who was mixing in uppercuts and left hooks with his usual jabs and straight rights.
The challenger was clearly ready to go as round ten began, and Vitali, with a fine killer instinct, finished the job, landing hard shot after hard shot as the now bloody Adamek wobbled around the ring. Finally, Barrovecchio moved in to save the brave Polish warrior from himself, and Klitschko was awarded the TKO victory.
With the mandatory challenge of Adamek out of the way, Vitali Klitschko can now look toward a fight with David Haye, who he has vowed to “put in the dust” for his remarks about the Klitschko family. Haye announced earlier today that he is putting off his planned retirement to take up Vitali on his challenge.