Tomasz Adamek Wins Heavyweight Comeback, Stops Saleta in Five
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Lodz, Poland (September 27th, 2015)– An aging Tomasz Adamek, far from his prime and the ring skills which propelled him to the world light heavyweight and cruiserweight world titles and the top rated heavyweight contender, won his first fight in two years, on Saturday, September 26, 2015, in the ten round main event at Atlas Arena in Lodz, Poland, with a fifth round corner stoppage of Przemyslaw Saleta. Adamek is 50-4 with 30 knockouts. Saleta is 44-8 with 22 knockouts.
Adamek, who will turn 39 years old on December 16, 2015, won every round and pretty much had his own way with the muscular and always in shape Saleta, 47 years old, who knocked out faded Andrew Golota in his last ring appearance in February 2013. Both fighters remain popular names in their native Poland. Saleta gave up in his corner, forcing referee Leszek Jankowiak to call an end to the contest. The card aired on Polish television.
Adamek versus Saleta sold tickets in Poland, but Adamek will have to do better than stopping a 47 year old opponent if his comeback is to be taken seriously by boxing experts.
Adamek lost his International Boxing Federation North American heavyweight title by decision to unbeaten Ukrainian heavy weight contender Vyacheslav Glaskov at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in March 2014. He then lost by ten round decision to Polish heavyweight contender Artur Szpilka in Krakow Arena in Krakow, Poland, for the IBF International and vacant Polish heavyweight titles in February 2014. If Adamek had won one more round in that bout, it would have been a majority draw. It was the first time in Adamek’s career he had lost two fights in one year, leading to retirement speculation, although Adamek has fought only the best in every division he has fought in.
Adamek’s career began at age 22 with a first round stoppage of Israel Khumalo at Bowlers Exhibition Center in Manchester, United Kingdom, on March 13, 1999. Adamek weighed 177 pounds for his pro debut. Adamek fought Saleta at 223 pounds, second heaviest of his career. Adamek weighed 225 pounds when he beat Eddie Chambers in 2012, and 223 pounds when he beat Steve Cunningham in 2012.
If Adamek intends to fight another Polish opponent again in Poland, he might consider the loser of the previous bout on his Saleta card. Nagy Aguilera (who Adamek beat by ten round decision in 2012) stopped 16-1 Polish prospect Marcin Rekowski at 2:58 of the tenth and final round in an upset. To fly in and beat a Polish fighter in Poland, let alone be given a stoppage win at 2:58 with two seconds left in a bout where the Polish fighter had clearly won the bout on the cards, is an absolute rarity, seemingly impossible. If Adamek opts for a foreign opponent next, either in the United States or Poland, Adamek could consider such names as Derric Rossy, Jason Bergman, Manuel Charr, Alex Leapai or anyone available.
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