By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
In an exclusive interview with Real Combat Media, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania heavyweight contender Joey ‘Polish Thunder’ Dawejko predicted a knockout of perennial fringe contender Derric ‘The Shaolin Fist’ Rossy in five rounds when they meet in the main event at Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on Saturday evening, January 25, 2014. Dawejko, who is 8-3-1 with three knockouts, is only 23 years old, and still has a bright future ahead in the wide open heavyweight division. Dawejko is ready to step up to the plate and take on eight and ten round bouts now, though his performances have been most unique in the heavyweight division.
Rossy, age 33, 28-7 with 14 knockouts, Medford, New York, who reached 25-2 before losing a 12 round decision to Eddie Chambers in an untelevised IBF eliminator bout, has lost five of his last eight bouts. Rossy was originally scheduled to fight on the ProPlex Brooklyn card against a different opponent, but the card was snowed out in a rarity.
Under the promotional guidance of Boxing 360 President and CEO Dr. Mario Yagobi, Dawejko turned professional in September 2009 with a six round decision over Royphy Solieau at the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Louisiana. Dawejko was unbeaten in his first eight professional bouts. At that point, his career path runs a mysterious hot and cold.
In Dawejko’s last eight professional bouts, no two results have been consecutively the same, which is unheard of in the heavyweight division. Not since former World Boxing Association World Heavyweight champion Mike ‘Hercules Weaver lost six of his first professional bouts between 1972 and 1974 (including losing his first two bouts to future California State champion Howard Smith) has any heavyweight fighter produced such hot and cold results at any point in his career as Joey Dawejko. Talk a look at this strange streak:
Joey Dawejko Fights
Corey Winfield, January 13, 2012, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Won Unanimous Decision 4
Juan Carlos Robles, February 17, 2012, Cicero, Illinois Draw in 6
Edwin Ranquillo, June 1, 2012, Atlantic City, New Jersey Won by Knockout in 4
Dorsett Barnwell, August 18, 2012, Atlantic City, New Jersey Lost Split Decision in 6
Jarrell Miller, January 19, 2013, Uncasville, Connecticut Draw in 4
Didier Spence, February 8, 2013, Montreal, Canada Lost Decision 6 (58-56, 58-56, 58-56)
(Dawejko claims he won this bout, but the Canadian Spence got a gift hometown decision.
If one more point turned on the cards for Joey Dawejko, the bout would have been a draw.)
Kevin Franklin, September 26, 2013, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Won Unanimous Decision 6
Charles Martin, November 14, 2013, Hollywood, California Lost Referee’s Technical Decision 4
(Dawejko, fighting for the first time on the West Coast, took this bout on one week’s notice and was unprepared)
Dawejko had a storied amateur career, winning 14 amateur national titles, including three Police Athletic League titles, three Ringside titles, three Silver Gloves championships, and two National Golden Gloves championships. He was the youngest fighter ever to win at the Eastern Olympic Trials, fighting at 16 years old in the Open Class in 2008.
Real Combat Media: “Joey, why (fight) Derric Rossy? Is it you have nothing to lose by fighting Rossy?”
Joey Dawejko: “I have nothing to lose by taking this fight. The reason I wanted to fight Rossy is he’s always been pretty much ‘the opponent’ for up and coming guys (fighters).”
Real Combat Media: “Joey, do you feel you can beat Derric Rossy?”
Joey Dawejko: “I know I can beat Derric Rossy! I have the right mindset, the right game plan, and the skills to beat him.”
Real Combat Media: “Isn’t taking eight and ten round bouts a big jump for you?”
Joey Dawejko: “It’s a big jump for me for the simple fact I’ve never done it before. In my mind in my heart, I knew I could (was read to) fight eight and ten rounders.”
Real Combat Media: “I watched Charles Martin fight (Joey’s last fight). Martin was a taller fighter than you.”
Joey Dawejko: “Yeah. Martin was a lot taller than me.”
Real Combat Media: “But Charles Martin was necessarily a better fighter than you. In the Martin fight, you looked winded by the end of the third round. What happened?”
Joey Dawejko: “I took that fight on one week’s notice. I did not have time to prepare, and in that one week I had to prepare. I tried to do everything I could. I felt it was a good opportunity at the time, but I was wrong. I would have won if it (the circumstances) had happened a little differently, namely, a full six to eight week camp with sufficient time to prepare for the bout.”
Real Combat Media: “How much training time have you had to prepare for Rossy? Who is training you now?”
Joey Dawejko: “I have been in the gym anyway for probably about eight weeks. I train at the Diesel Fit Boxing Club in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. My trainer in Brian McGinley. My brother, Walt Dawejko, is my assistant trainer.”
Real Combat Media: “Fact. Joey, you are a hold and cold fighter. Your last eight professional bouts read won, draw, won, lost a split decision, draw, lost, won, lost. If one more point had flipped on the scorecards in the Didier Spence bout at Bell Centre in Montreal, it would have been scored a draw. Nobody knows which Joey Dawejko is going to show up.”
Joey Dawejko: “I probably won the Spence fight in Canada. I felt I won five of the six rounds. Before I got there, I didn’t feel I would get a fair shake in Canada anyway.”
Real Combat Media: “Did you watch the recent North American Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council light heavyweight eliminator 12 round bout between Jean Pascal and Lucian Bute? Do you think their bout at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, this past weekend was fair to score more so because both fighters are Canadian?” (Pascal won a unanimous decision)
Joey Dawejko: “I thought the scoring for Pascal and Bute was fair. They are both Canadian fighters, so it isn’t like either one of them had a hometown advantage BUT if Pascal wasn’t from Canadian, he would have had to knock Bute out to win.”
Real Combat Media: “Talk about your conditioning for the Rossy fight.”
Joey Dawejko: “My conditioning now is better than it has been since turning pro.”
Real Combat Media: “What have you done in your current training regimen that’s different than before?”
Joey Dawejko: “A lot more cardio, a lot more running.”
Real Combat Media: “How much did you weigh for the Martin fight? How much do you weigh right now?”
Joey Dawejko: “I weighed 237 for the Martin fight. I weight around 229 right now.”
Real Combat Media: “Joey, talk about your sparring work in preparation for Rossy.”
Joey Dawejko: “I have done a lot of rounds sparring in the last few weeks with tall guys from the Philadelphia area. It is all good work.”
Real Combat Media: “Dr. Mario Yagobi, your promoter at Boxing 360, said you wanted this fight.”
Joey Dawejko: “Yeah, pretty much. I emailed promoter Sal Musomucci and emailed a copy to Mario, and they worked it out (the bout arrangements).”
Real Combat Media: “How long do you have remaining on your contract with Boxing 360?”
Joey Dawejko: “December 29, 2013 was two years. I have one year left on my contract. Absolutely, I will honor my contract.”
Real Combat Media: Do you prefer bouts of eight rounds or longer at this point in your career?”
Joey Dawejko: “Yeah, absolutely. I have spoken to Mario about it a lot (his promoter). I want to start fighting eight rounders in my career. If a fight pops up and it’s a six rounder that pays good-I’ll take it. I just want (prefer) to stay fighting with eight rounders now.”
Real Combat Media: “Are you up to a ten rounder in the future?”
Joey Dawejko: “Yeah. Absolutely.”
Real Combat Media: “Would you like to fight for a title of some kind?”
Joey Dawejko: “Yeah. There was always a plan to fight for a regional title, and work myself up to a world title.”
Real Combat Media: “Looking at your record, you have been hot and cold in your recent streak of fights. So, may we ask, which Joey Dawejko is going to show up to fight Derric Rossy?”
Joey Dawejko: “Probably the one that beat John Lennox.”
Reader’s Note: Joey Dawejko knocked out 6-0 John Lennox in the first round in Newark, New Jersey on September 14, 2011.
Real Combat Media: “Joey, can you hit with power?”
Joey Dawejko: “Yes, with both hands.”
Real Combat Media: “Joey, can you win a technical fight?”
Joey Dawejko: “Absolutely. I’m a technical fighter.”
Real Combat Media: “Make a prediction, Joey.”
Joey Dawejko: “I am definitely going to beat Derrick Rossy and win the fight. My prediction I am going to stop Derric Rossy in the fifth round. I normally do not make predictions, but I have had a great training camp, and I am doing everything to need to do to win.”
Real Combat Media: “Will you put pressure on Rossy?”
Joey Dawejko: “I have a whole game plan for Rossy, so it’s basically (it all boils down to) what my game plan is.”
Reader’s Note: Joey Dawejko did not reveal the secrets behind his intended game plan.
Real Combat Media: “Did your fight with Charles Martin teach you something?”
Joey Dawejko: “Definitely. It actually taught me stuff I didn’t know. I can’t take a fight on one week’s notice, and I actually have to train for a fight (with a full eight week camp).”
Real Combat Media: “110%.”
Real Combat Media: “Do you expect a tough fight from Rossy?”
Joey Dawejko: “Every fight is tough, no matter how you look at it. Derric Rossy is a tough fight! I am expecting a tough fight from Derric Rossy, and I hope he is (expecting a tough fight from me) too.”
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