Former world Heavyweight title contender Michael Grant talks about his decision loss to Tomasz Adamek
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15rounds.com Matt Yanofsky talks about Tomasz Adamek’s decision win over Michael Grant
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Tomasz Adamek once again thrilled his fans as heung on and a twelve round unanimous decision over Michael Grant in front of 10,972 rabid boxing fans at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Adaemk dominated the first five rounds as he was much too quick for Grant, who was pawing with his jab and was looking for only one shot. At the end of round six, Grant fionally got into the fight as he landed a big right hand that not only hurt Adamek but cut him around the right eye.
Adamek recovered and picked up where he started over the first five-plus rounds as he darted in and out and landed some quick two and three punch combinations for which Grant had no answer for. Adamek sufferd a cut around his left eye in round eight from an appear ant clash of heads. Grant began to bleed from the mouth in round nine. The action picked up in round eleven as the two fighters exchanged hard right hand.
Round twelve is where Adamek, turned into his predecessor of the king of New Jersey boxing, Arturo Gatti as it became high stakes drama as Grant landed a big right that rocked Adamek and the Polish star was hurt and had to hold on in the last ninety seconds just to get out of the fight because Grant showed the fire that he did not show for the first thirty-four minutes and jumped on Adamek.
Adamek was able to hold on for the 118-110, 118-110 and 117-111 victory to raise his record to 42-1. Grant is now 46-4.
One time hot prospect Joel Julio scored a ten round unanimous decision over Jamaal Davis in a Jr. Middleweight bout.
Julio was very impressive as he battered Davis yet Davis showed an excellent chin as he was never in danger in going down despite taking heavy combinations from the Colombian power puncher.
Julio Cruised down the stretch as Davis had very little offense to hold off the hard charging Julio.
Julio, 152 lbs of Miami won by scores of 97-93; 98-92 and 99-93 and is now 36-4. Davis, 153 lbs of Philadelphia is 12-7
Sadam Ali scored an impressive fifth round stoppage over granite chinned Lenin Arroyo in a scheduled eight round Welterweight bout.
Ali dominated the bout as he boxed well and wobbled Arroyo a few times over the four rounds. Ali landed a perfect left to the head/left to the body combaintion that sent Arroyo down for referee Steve Smoger’s ten count at 2:46 of round five
Ali, 145 lbs of Brooklyn, NY is now 9-0 with five knockouts. Arroyo, 146 lbs of Miami via Costa Rica is 20-13-1.
Jeremy Bryan scored a stoppage after Daniel Mitchell did not come out for round two of their scheduled six round Jr. Welterweight bout.
Mitchell was unable to continue on the advice of the ringside doctor.
Bryan, 139 lbs of Paterson, NJ is now 14-1 with seven knockouts. Mitchell, 137 lbs of Pittsburgh is now 5-2-1.
Shemuel Pegan made a successful pro debut as he scored two knockdowns en route to a four round unanimous decision over Raul Rivera in a Jr. Lightweight bout.
Pegan, 135 1/2 lbs of Brooklyn, NY won by scores of 40-35; 40-34 and 40-34 to start 1-0. Rivera, 135 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is 0-3.
Osnel Charles scored a first round knockdown en route to a four round unanimous decision over Hector Colladoi.
Scores were 39-37; 38-37; 38-37 for Charles, 137 1/2 lbs of Atlantic City and is now 4-2. Collado, 139 1/2 lbs of Union City, NJ is now 0-2-1.
Tyrone Luckey needed just fifty-four seconds to dispose of Larry Yanez in a battle of debuting Lightweights.
Just seconds in, Luckey dropped Yanez with a sharp left hook. Lucky wobbled Yanez several more times before referee Steve Smoger stopped the bout.
Luckey of Middletown, NJ is 1-0 with one stoppage. Yanez, 135 lbs of Miami is 0-1.
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PRUDENTIAL CENTER, NEWARK, NJ
LIVE PPV – SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2010
RED BLUE
4 Rounds – Junior Lightweights
Tyrone Luckey vs. Larry Yanez
Middletown, NJ Ft. Lauderdale
Pro Debut Pro Debut
WT: 133 TKS: Wht/Blk WT: 135 TKS: White
4 Rounds – Junior Lightweights
Osnel Charles vs. Hector Collado
Atlantic City, NJ Union City, NJ
3-2 0-1-1
WT: 137 ½ TKS: Red/Blue WT: 139 ½ TKS: Red/White
4 rounds – Junior Lightweights
Shemuel Pagan vs. Raul Rivera
Brooklyn, NY Philadelphia, PA
Pro Debut 0-2
WT: 135 ½ TKS: Purple/Black WT: 135 ½ TKS: Black/Gold
PPV START 9:00PM (EST)
6 Rounds – Junior Welterweights
Jeremy Bryan vs. Daniel Mitchell
Paterson, NJ Pittsburgh, PA
13-1, 6 KO’s 5-1-1, 2 KO’s
WT: 139 TKS: White WT: 137 TKS: Red/White
8 Rounds – Welterweights
Sadam Ali vs. Lenin Arroyo
Brooklyn, NY San Jose, Costa Rica
8-0, 4 KO’s 20-12-1, 4 KO’s
WT: 145 TKS: Yemen/American WT: 146 TKS: Light Blue/White
10 Rounds – Junior Middleweights
Joel Julio vs. Jamaal Davis
Monteria, Colombia Philadelphia, PA
35-4, 31 KO’s 12-6, 6 KO’s
WT: 152 TKS: Black/Silver WT: 153 TKS: Blue/Silver
12 Rounds – IBF International/NABO Heavyweight Championship
Tomasz Adamek vs. Michael Grant
Gilowice, Poland Philadelphia, PA
41-1, 27 KO’s 46-3, 34 KO’s
WT: 217 TKS: Black WT: 261 TKS: White/Blac
Matt Yanofsky contributed to this report
This Saturday from Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, Tomasz Adamek looks to continue his quest up the heavyweight ranks when he battles once promising Michael Grant over twelve rounds on pay per view. With an arena full of Adamek’s passionate followers along with a bevy of local talent, the 12,000 plus fight fans expected to be on hand are in for an exciting night at “The Rock”.
Once dubbed as the next great American heavyweight, the 6’ 7” Grant, 46-3 (34 KO’s), fought through the heavyweight division with relative ease in the late 1990’s, until he was matched up against arguably the best heavyweight of the past 20 years in Lennox Lewis.
Lewis brought Grant back to earth, demolishing the Blue Bell, PA native in less than two rounds. Grant’s record is 15-2 since that night and the boxing world has learned plenty about him. His chin, heart and lack of toughness were all exposed, with both of his other defeats also coming by knockout. He has however reeled off 8 straight victories. Grant, who according to multiple reports had an outstanding training camp under Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, feels that it is his turn to become once again a factor in the heavyweight division. If he does pull out a victory, the 38 year old and 8 to 1 underdog would make a major statement while likely securing a title shot.
However, the man standing across the ring from him has different plans. Adamek (41-1 27 KO’s), of Secaucus, NJ by way of Poland, is coming off an impressive majority decision victory in California against title contender Cris Arreola. The fight was a battle throughout. Adamek had trouble early getting comfortable with the style of Arreola, but he fought brilliantly in the championship rounds to claim a victory.
Adamek must use his powerful jab and consistent movement, as displayed against Arreola, to defeat his taller opponent. If Grant is going to pull off the upset, expect him to do so by working from the outside and using his reach advantage to stifle Adamek. Interestingly enough, Grant’s trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad was Chad Dawson’s chief second when he handed Adamek his lone defeat.
In the co-main event of the evening, Joel Julio (35-4, 31 KO’s) of Colombia returns to the Garden State for the first time in nearly five years to battle Philadelphian Jamaal Davis (12-6, 6 KO’s). This will be the always entertaining Julio’s first matchup since being knocked out in a slugfest by rapidly rising Alfredo Angulo in April. In a back and fourth fight, Julio stood his ground into the 11th round until he was met with a hard right cross that decked him. Referee Raul Caiz put an end to the fight when Julio seemingly couldn’t stand on his own.
In what should be an exciting fight against a tougher than advertised Davis, expect to see some heavy shots landed in this one, and in Julio’s eyes, a knockout would help put him back on track.
2008 US Olympian Sadam Ali of Brooklyn, NY will take a step up in competition when he battles iron chinned Floridian Lenin Arroyo (20-12-1, 4 KO’s). Ali, (8-0, 4 KO’s) has been mentioned amongst boxing’s top up and comers following his ESPN2 televised victory last month.
In his most impressive performance to date, Ali showing precise punching and power in dismantling Julias Edmonds inside of three rounds. The Prudential Center crowd will certainly be on the edge of their seats, awaiting fireworks once again, from “The World Kid”.
Paterson native and former multi-time National Amateur champion Jeremy Bryan (13-1, 6 KO’s) of Paterson, NJ will look to erase the memory of his disappointing knockout loss to Vincent Arroyo, when he matches up against Pittsburgh, PA’s Daniel Mitchell (5-1-1, 2 KO’s) in the opening bout on the televised portion of the card. A gifted boxer who knows how to be aggressive when need be, Bryan was widely considered New Jersey’s best prospect prior to his lone defeat. The bout is scheduled for six rounds at junior welterweight.
The night will begin with the debuts of heralded prospects Shem Pagan and Tyrone Luckey. The heavily hyped Pagan is only one of two boxers, the other being Glen Ghany, to win five New York Golden Gloves titles. Many boxing observers see Shem as a future champion and cannot wait for him to get his professional career rolling. His debut comes against Philadelphia resident Raul Rivera (0-2) in a four round lightweight matchup.
Luckey, a three time New Jersey Golden Gloves Champion based out of Middletown, battles fellow debutant Larry Yanez of Florida in a four round junior lightweight matchup.
From top to bottom, “The Big Challenge” is clearly worth the price of admission.
For more New Jersey boxing news, go to gardenstatefightscene.com
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Global Boxing Gym
ADAMEK vs. GRANT
“The Big Challenge”
Fight: Aug 21st
Prudential Center, Newark
Adamek & Grant sign posters – Credits: Mike Gladysz, Millenium Photo
Press Conference Quotes
Michael Grant: “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to fight Tomasz and my man Roger over there. No doubt it’s going to be a nice night for the fight community, for the boxing world period. The heavyweight division is sad right now, so I just say, don’t lose hope. Don’t lose hope, because I know the belts are over the water right now, but they’ll be back. They will definitely be back!”
“How do I see the fight playing out? Okay let’s play with this…He’s (Adamek) probably going to try to figure out the punching power for the first 3 or 4 rounds and then make a decision; ‘Okay do I want to gamble or not’. Meanwhile, while he’s thinking about gambling I’m already gonna be putting power out, dropping hands on him. So then you’re into a ‘what should I do?’ moment. You got to make sure that those decisions don’t make you delayed so bad where you start getting caught. And sometimes when you start getting caught, and getting caught, it messes all the decision making up and that can be very hurtful.”
“I don’t take anything away from Adamek, like I said he’s a helluva light heavyweight champion. But I’m an elite fighter. I’m not like a Jason Estrada or a Chris Arreola, that’s not my level.”
Grant speaking of Golota style vs. Adamek style: “In those two different styles Golota was a puncher and slightly a boxer, where Adamek is more like a boxer. You know what I’m saying, he’s not a puncher. I’m not saying the fight’s going to be easy with that. He has the strength in that. He became light heavyweight and cruiserweight champion, correct? And so God bless him.”
“My ability is basically what it (the deciding factor) is. I’m not banking on size and strength.”
Roger Bloodworth: “You can tell its going to be a good fight. We have all the respect in the world for the Grant camp and we took this fight cause Tomasz had to be able to prove he could hang with a big man. So whoever named this ‘The Big Challenge’ may be exactly correct.” “Tomasz is ready and I expect a great fight.”
“We haven’t thought about what’s next. We’re just thinking about this fight and that’s it.”
Tomasz Adamek: “Sunday we’ll talk about what’s next, but Saturday we have a job.”
“Every fight is very important. Only when you win, you go up. In boxing you can never be second. My whole career I prepare to be the best.”
“I am very excited to be back at Prudential Center. Every fight a couple thousand more people come to see me. Everybody knows me in NJ.”
“I’m ready to fight. When I’m healthy I am very quick, I am dangerous in the ring. I’ve been training very hard for 11 weeks. Size is no bother to me. I had 2 very good sparring partners. They were tall too. Roger is a very good teacher and I am learning everyday. I am ready.”
PPV Fighters:Jeremy Bryan, Sadam Ali, Grant, Adamek & Joel Julio. Credits: Kubikfoto
The “Brick City Boxing Series” card will take place at Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, and is promoted by Main Events and Ziggy Promotions in association with X-Cel Worldwide.
Tickets priced at $53, $78, $103 and $253 (ringside) can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling TicketMaster at 800-745-3000 or www.Prucenter.com
The fight is being distributed in North America by Integrated Sports Media for live viewing at 9PM EST / 6PM PST on both cable and satellite pay-per-view via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network in the United States and Viewer’s Choice and Bell TV in Canada for a suggested retail price of only $29.95
Adamek & Grant – Credits: Mike Gladysz, Millenium Photo
To keep up to date visit the Main Events Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Totowa-NJ/Main-Events/76572871323?ref=ts&__a=16&ajaxpipe=1
and www.mainevents.com, and www.prucenter.com
This Saturday night at Newark, NJ’s Prudential Center, former light heavy and cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek will meet once promising heavyweight Michael Grant over twelve rounds with the winner likely receiving a title shot.
Dubbed as “The Big Challenge”, the 6’7 Grant, who was projected to be a world champion a number of years ago, will be Adamek’s tallest opponent to date. I had the opportunity to ask various members of the boxing world ranging from journalists, fighters and trainers for their thoughts on the bout. Here’s what they had to say.
Paul Marinaccio (Retired heavyweight who fought Grant/current boxing and MMA promoter)
“Grant only threw 5 to 8 jabs a round which gave me some opportunities during (our) fight. Adamek will need to work his way in and to keep stepping to the side. Grant hurt me three times with punches to back of the head then (landed) clean shots (but) couldn’t finish me. (He was) very tentative the whole fight. I’m the only guy to go 12 rounds with Grant and I had torn ligaments in my ankle. Adamek wins but (he can’t run).”
Chris Robinson (Journalist from Examiner.com)
“I remember running into Grant earlier this year at the IMMA gym in Las Vegas. One thing I can say is that he hasn’t let himself slip and that he is still in excellent shape. Still, I really have no idea what he would have left at this point in his career. Things just never seemed the same for him after his crushing loss to Lennox Lewis
Adamek’s rise to both the cruiserweight and heavyweight ranks has been impressive. After his loss to Chad Dawson years ago I really didn’t know what he would come up with but he has shown a lot of perseverance in continuing to succeed against bigger man. I think he will find a way to defeat Grant and it will be interesting to see where he goes after that.”
Sean Sullivan (Editor-in-Chief Boxing Digest)
“Adamek should win with a mid-rounds stoppage. After a few rounds, he’ll have figured out how to deal with Grant’s size and reach advantages then will break him down physically. Grant will wilt from Adamek’s pressure and his own inactivity.”
Gary Williams (Journalist from Fight News/Boxing Along The Beltway)
“I like Adamek in this one. I know Grant’s the (bigger man), but I like the way Adamek has progressed from cruiser to heavy. I think he will stop Grant late.”
Lem Satterfield (Editor and Lead Writer of AOL Fanhouse)
“I would have to say that Adamek wins a track meet. I believe that he should be able to get in and out and as long as he doesn’t stand and trade (he could) potentially stop Grant late, if not win a decision.”
Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillan (Middleweight Contender)
“I am going with Adamek. He’s been the busier fighter. I got him by KO.”
Alan Hopper (Director of Publicity for Don King Productions)
“I liked Tomasz Adamek best when (Don King Productions promoted) him at 175 pounds, especially when he used his jab more. I was surprised when he carried his punch to cruiserweight, and I was shocked to see him become an elite heavyweight contender. Bottom line: He’s a fighter I admire with a lot of heart that you can never count out. Adamek by decision.”
Marc Abrams (Editor of 15rounds.com)
“I like Adamek to win the fight by late stoppage. He’s been more active lately against better competition. Adamek always shows heart and desire, which is one thing that has been questioned about for years. Plus he has fallen off the radar while Adamek has been fighting top competition”
Kevin Iole (Senior Boxing Writer for Yahoo Sports)
“I think its going to be a big win by Adamek. He has really turned into an elite fighter and is as good as anybody in the heavyweight division outside of the Klitschkos. His win over Arreola proved that. I think he is a very good and talented heavyweight in a division where there aren’t many good fighters out there. Grant will have to prove something. Ten years ago he was a fighter with the world of talent but when he stepped up he didn’t perform and I don’t think it will change against Adamek. I think Adamek gives him a boxing lesson and may stop him late, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he won by decision.”
Ryan Songalia (Journalist for Boxingscene.com)
“Adamek should win this fight pretty handily. He is pretty confident and has a string of good wins. The Arreola fight gave him a lot of credibility because his boxing ability and mobility helped him overcome a larger opponent. I would be shocked if Grant was able to win since his last loss (came via) devastating knockout to a small heavyweight like Adamek in Dominick Guinn. Grant’s size alone is not enough to overcome his opponents and this will be a major disadvantage for him. Adamek should stop him any time after the eighth round.”
Ryan Coyne (World Rated Cruiserweight Contender)
“I like Adamek. He is hungry and trying to move his way up the heavyweight ranks. He always steps up when he has a stiff test. Michael Grant is a mountain of a man but I think he is past his prime. The only time he really stepped up was against Lennox Lewis and Jameel McCline and he failed the test. His brief retirements, inactivity and what not will also hurt him come fight night. Adamek is taking this one by late stoppage.”
Aroz “Terrific” Gist (Trainer)
I heard Michael Grant had a great camp. This is a fight you really have to pay attention to because Grant has the chance to pull an upset due to his height and reach. If it gets past round 6 or 7, I’d lean towards Michael Grant. With that said Adamek has been fighting high quality opponents and beating them handily. He’s a very talented fighter who always comes in shape so I am going with Adamek by seventh round stoppage, but if it goes past that, watch out for Grant!”
FINAL TALLY ADAMEK: 12 GRANT: 0
A one-time Next Big Thing in professional boxing, Michael Grant has been to the top of the hill, but only to look. His stay wasn’t long, and he did not descend as its king. Instead, like Jack in the nursery rhyme, he tumbled down—repeatedly— at the point of Lennox Lewis’ right hand. Canvassed three times in the first round, he failed to rise by the count of 10 in the second. That championship bout, all two rounds of it, took place in April, 2000.
In fights to follow, Grant (46-3, 34 KOs) was knocked down and out by both Jameel McCline and the once promising Dominic Guinn. At 6’ 7” Michael Grant has a long way to fall. Against McCline he broke his ankle on the way down (first round, very first punch). Against Guinn he was knocked down four times in 7 rounds, the last from a clean left hook that landed Grant almost motionless in a big hulking mass on the floor.
He tasted canvas nine times in a total of 10 rounds in these three losses. He is now 37 years old.
A gifted athlete, Grant played football prior to boxing. But football is not boxing. And given the helmets, a propensity to fall when punched in the head does not pose a particular hindrance to a football player. For a boxer, it is fatal.
Michael Anthony Grant has an Achilles Chin. Training can’t change that.
But power and hope are the last things to go on a heavyweight, and there is no reason to believe that he does not have a puncher’s chance. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad is Grant’s latest trainer. Michael Grant has told anyone who would listen that he’ll win.
Since losing to Guinn in 2003, Grant has fought and won a total of eight times. Beating the likes of Wallace McDaniel (8-21-1, 4 KOs), Billy Zumbrun (23-12-1, 13 KOs) and Demetrice King (15-18, 13 KOs). He did not fight in the calendar years of 2006 or 2009. If nothing else, he is well rested. In May of this year Grant scored a technical knockout in the first round over Kevin Burnett (13-4-1, 8 KOs). Grant weighed in at 257 pounds for that fight, only 7 pounds more than the weight at which he fought Lewis.
On Aug. 21 Michael Grant will face former WBC light heavyweight and IBF and IBO cruiserweight champion of the world, Tomasz Adamek. The two men will square off in a scheduled 12 rounder in Newark New Jersey’s Prudential Center. The fight will be available on Pay Per View. Adamek (41-1, 27 KOs) is relatively new at heavyweight, but coming off an impressive victory earlier this year over the powerful 250-plus pound brawler, Cristobol Arreola (28-2, 25 KOs).
Before that, Adamek scored wins at heavyweight over Jason Estrada (16-3, 4 KOs) and the old Polish workhorse, Andrew Golota (41-8-1, 33 KOs). In his fight against Arreola, Adamek weighed in at 217 pounds and proved that he could fight against Big.
Against Michael Grant, Adamek looks now to show the world that he can fight, and win, against Tall.
The two-headed heavyweight champion of the world, brothers Wladamir and Vitali Klitschko, is tall. Wladamir is 6’6 ½” and Vitali is an inch taller at 6’7 ½”. They have a reach of 81” and 80” respectively. Michael Grant is 6’7” with a freakishly long reach of 86”. Adamek is 6’1 ½” with a reach of 75”.
When David Haye stepped out of his scheduled fight with Vitali Klitschko in the Fall of 2009, Adamek got the short notice call. His team declined at the time (wisely I think), with Arreola instead taking the fight against Vitali—and the loss. But having got the notice, Adamek has worked. He had weighed in at 199 pounds against Bobby Gunn back in July of 2009, and weighed in at 214 in his win against Golota in October that same year—and picked up something called the IBF International Heavyweight Championship belt for his troubles. On the scale in Newark against the former Olympian Jason Estrada in February of 2010 he weighed 220; against Arreola in April, he weighed a quick 217. The addition of Ronnie Shields as trainer has paid big dividends. Adamek wears his new weight well. Ask Arreola.
Adamek has stated in no uncertain terms that he wants a shot at a heavyweight title. Any Klitschko or David Haye—any time, any place.
Consider this fight against Grant a test run, or maybe even a dress rehearsal. But consider it. Adamek can bang, and he can box. He’s got heart and he can also take a punch. On Aug. 21 we’ll see if he can fight tall. My guess is he can. And Michael Grant? This may well be his last chance to fetch a pail of water in the heavyweight division.
On August 21, the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey will play host to “The Big Challenge” fight card, presented by Main Events, Ziggy Promotions and X-Cel Worldwide. The main event will feature North Jersey’s adopted son, Tomasz “Goral” Adamek, against “Big” Michael Grant. Adamek (41-1, 27 KO), who is coming off an impressive majority decision victory against heavyweight contender Chris Arreola, will look to continue building his heavyweight resume and retain his IBF International Heavyweight Title when he takes on his 6’7” opponent. Grant (46-3, 34 KO), who has already defeated a Polish icon in Andrew Golota, will look to disappoint a sure to be packed Prudential Center with a victory over Adamek.
The card will also feature a junior middleweight bout between Colombia’s Joel Julio (35-4, 31 KO) and Philadelphia’s Jamaal Davis (12-6, 6 KO). Julio will look to bounce back from a violent KO loss that came at the fists of Alfredo “El Perro” Angulo back in April.
Also fighting on the undercard will be former United States Olympian Sadam Ali (8-0, 4 KO). Most recently, Brooklyn’s Ali defeated Julias Edmonds by third round TKO on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights, as part of the Zab Judah-Jose Santa Cruz undercard. “The Big Challenge” will also feature Paterson, New Jersey’s Jeremy Bryan. The two-time national Golden Gloves Champion, Bryan (13-1, 6 KO), will look to rebound from his only professional, which came back in April.
Adam “Baby Face’ Kownacki and Shemuel Pagan will join Ali as other Brooklyn fighters on the card.
Kownacki (4-0, 4 KO), who was born in Lomza, Poland, will return to the Prudential Center, where he viciously defeated Damon Clement by second round KO less than two weeks ago.
As for Pagan, August 21 will mark the date of his professional debut. The twenty-two year-old is a 5-time New York Golden Gloves Champion and has compiled an impressive amateur record of 85 wins and only 19 defeats.
Tickets for the event can be purchased at Prudential Center Box Office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or www.PruCenter.com. Tickets are priced at $53, $78, $103, and $253 (ringside).
The bout will also be distributed as a Pay-Per-View card by Integrated Sports Media. It will be available on both cable and satellite Pay-Per-View via iN Demand, DIRECTV, Avail-TVN and DISH Network. The price for the event is listed at $29.99.
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NOTES FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE: Kathy Duva:
“Tomasz is moving along in his career very nicely…This is Tomasz’s first PPV fight in the United States, we are pretty excited about that. His opponent is Michael Grant, 6’7” “Big” Michael Grant. The title of it is “The Big Challenge.” That is what this is going to be for Tomasz…the biggest challenge of his career, as he will fight the biggest opponent of his career.” Roger Bloodworth: “This is a very important fight for Tomasz…Grant is trained by a very good trainer, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. I haven’t seen Grant’s fights since he last lost (which was in 2003 to Dominick Guinn). He presents a difficult problem in that he’s 6’7”…he’s got a long reach. So what I think you are going to see is a hell of a fight.”
“I don’t want to give you the impression that this is rehearsal because I’m taking Michael Grant very seriously. He needs this fight desperately, so I don’t want to give the impression that he is taken for granted or he is a dress rehearsal. It is going to show us what Tomasz can do against an extremely tall guy.”
“In the heavyweight division, you don’t have tremendous knockout power, but you have to have the ability to hurt people with combinations. Evander Holyfield wasn’t a great one-punch [boxer], but he put enough punches together, he made you quit. That’s the way I see Tomasz. I think eventually he’ll put enough punches together he will make you quit.” “One advantage of his weight having settled in at 220-222 lbs. is that he is still able to carry his body around. He has very good legs. When you start getting up around 240-250 lbs., sometimes it’s tough.”
*For his last fight, Tomasz Adamek was trained by both Roger Bloodworth and Ronnie Shields. When Bloodworth left camp to train with David Tua, Adamek worked exclusively with Ronnie Shields. This time around, Shields was not figured into the Adamek equation at all.
In an interview with Beats, Boxing, and Mayhem, Ronnie Shields admitted he doesn’t really know why Adamek decided not to work with him again. “You’ll have to ask his manager Ziggy Rozalski,” Shields explained. “I got a call from someone else [not] Tomasz or Ziggy telling me that he wasn’t coming to Houston. I have no idea what happened.” I asked Bloodworth about it all and he replied by saying, “It doesn’t have to do with anything except that Tomasz wanted to train up here and Ronnie trains in Houston. Simple as that.”
Tomasz Adamek:
“I’m very excited to come back to the Prudential Center…I think we will make a good fight with Michael Grant, for my fans. I would like to invite everyone to see my fight in Newark. Thank you very much, see you August 21.” No other boxers spoke at the press conference. Michael Grant attempted to phone in from Las Vegas, but due to technical problems, it was inaudible.