Arreola vs. Adamek: Should Tomasz ask for a catch weight of 235?
February 8th, 2010
By Jim Dower: Count me in as one of the few people who thought that former IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek (40-1, 27 KO’s) looked pretty damn good in beating former 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason Estrada last Saturday night at the Prudential Center, in Newark, New Jersey. Adamek, 33, defeated Estrada by a 12 round unanimous decision by the scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 118-110. I agreed with the last judge’s scores. I saw Adamek winning about 10 of the 12 rounds with his better combinations and movement.
What I saw of Adamek on Saturday night was someone who was troubled by the few right hands that he was hit by from Estrada. The thing is, Estrada is a small heavyweight at only 6’1”, and has no power to speak of. Estrada made things worse for himself by failing to throw many punches during the fight. Adamek had a part to do with that by moving continuously and using a lot of head movement.
However, Estrada just wasn’t throwing enough punches and moved too slowly to land anything. Arreola is obviously a lot bigger than both the 6’1” Adamek and Estrada, standing 6’4’ and weighing 260+. Arreola isn’t shy about letting his hands go, throws with much more power than Estrada and cuts off the ring remarkably well for a fighter his size.
Estrada wasn’t bothered by Adamek’s shots last Saturday night, and you could see why. Adamek, a powerful puncher at cruiserweight and light heavyweight, appears not to have brought his power with him in moving up in weight to the heavyweight division. Although Adamek has done a good job of putting on 20 pounds to fill out to 220, the weight hasn’t translated into having heavyweight power.
If Adamek puts on even more weight for a fight against Arreola, I can’t imagine that having any effect on him being able to punch with more power. In a nutshell, Adamek would be facing a huge puncher like Arreola fighting with blanks. I think Adamek can win if he can run the entire fight and spoil like he did against Estrada with his hit and run style, but Arreola is going to probably bust Adamek up with his big shots sooner or later. Estrada puffed up Adamek’s right eye with the few weak right hands he landed on him.
Arreola will be landing a lot more and with much bigger power. And when you have a fighter like Arreola coming into the bout with a huge 30+ pound weight advantage, which tells me that Adamek is going to be in for some trouble. But Adamek can really help himself if he pushes for the fight to take place at a 235 pound, weight draining catch weight.
If Arreola is forced to melt down to 235, it will probably leave him weakened to the point where Adamek would at least have a chance to win the fight. Without the catch weight, I see Adamek ending up like Arreola’s last opponent, the smallish 220 pound Brian Minto, who Arreola stopped in the 4th round in December.
Minto fought his heart out, yet he was too small and didn’t have enough power to even slow Arreola down. Adamek needs to look at this fight and learn from it. He’s too small to take on a super heavyweight like Arreola and win unless he can get some kind of handicap working for him.
I think Admek is a good heavyweight, and I could see him beating some of the smaller heavyweights like David Haye, Denis Boytsov and Eddie Chambers, but not the super heavyweights like Arreola and the Klitschko brothers. They”ll beat him on size alone. When you’re fighting guys that big, it doesn’t matter how good you are. They’re just too big.
Tags: 21 Responses to “Arreola vs. Adamek: Should Tomasz ask for a catch weight of 235?”
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What I like about Adamek is that he does not talk a lot like Haye or others, he is a proper figher proving himself on the ring not outside it. He is not small either 191 cm tall. So I believe it will be an interesting fight. If Adamek win, he will be the best contender to beat Klitschko brothers. In a interview with Klitschko Vitali said that in 2010 he wants to fight hayes and Adamek and then retired. It means simply he know who is a good contender to beat, but hayes just trying to make as much money before fighting Klitschkos brothers, because he know his career will go down the drain after challenging them.
I also thought Adamek won by 118-110 vs Estrada–I wouldn’t be concerned with Arreolas weight. Thought Adamek stopped throwing heavy punches after a couple of rounds and peppered him the rest of the way,never sat down on his punches.
thought it was a good “gym” fight to get ready for fights with the big heavies & also getting used to handling his own 220 lb over 12 rounds so I am not sure what to expect next fight regarding Adamek’s power.It should be a heck of a bout & we’ve always had the weight difference in the heavyweight division- it will just add to each fighter’s strategy as to how they handle it.
i reading this nonsens from all of you ,you just not accept who is better,what is it? he is not from here? be just honest with a better fighter and this is a sport ,who is better they win…i realize bed commends from you ,im just a fan….i love a boxing!!!!!!
I am a bit disapointed by the Estrada Adamek fight. Maybe because I thought of Adamek as a fighter who likes a nice ring fight and I expected him to put Estrada down for the first time in his 255 fights(240 from amatour rings). Unfortunately there were another factors in place Adamek team already knew about Arreola fight, the fight was suppose to be more of a stamina and speed check for the new 220 weight, they had to limit the risk of injury to minimum. All of this leaves me with an impression that we still dont know what to expect from Adamek. Now about the topic I think that if Arreola brings to the ring more than 240 it will be his funeral if Adamek makes it above 5 rounds. After this I would really enjoy Haye vs Adamek but this is still far far away.
First off, Dude Arreola is a heavyweight where there’s no weight limit so cut the catch weight nonsense. It AIN’T going to happen plue it doesn’t matter what weight Arreola comes in at because he’s to strong for the very hittable Adamek. This is going to be a one way beating. Not even CLOSE!
I have only seen 4 or 5 of either guys fights and I gotta say, I can’t see the overweight, undisciplined Arreola winning this fight. Adamek could get caught with something, just like any other heavyweight, but I would expect him to move a lot and win by late round ko or a ud. I really can’t understand Chritobals high rank. He looks slow and clumsey in the fights I have seen him in. And that catchweight of 235 would be the worse thing ever for Adamek. If it was taken off properly it would mean that Arreola is in shape for the fight and that could be really dangerous.
Hahaha a catch weight. Quality.
Catch weights should not be allowed at any weight let alone heavy.
NOW IVE TRUELY HEARD IT ALL .A CATCHWEIGHT AT HEAVYWEIGHT IN ORDER THAT ONE FIGHTER ENTERS THE RING IN A COMPROMISED POSSITION?SO THE BOXING FAN LOOSES AGAIN,HUH?LOOK HOLLYFIELD HUNG WITH LEWIS AND THE REST OF THE BIG BOYS AND WHAT WAS HE 215?I BELIEVE THE PERFECT HEAVYWEIGHT TO BE SIXTHREE TO SIXFOUR 220 TO 240 ATHLETIC WITH GREAT ENDURANCE BIGGER THAN THAT DOESNT ACCOUNT FOR MUCH .THERES LOTS OF THREE HUNDRED POUNDERS OUT THERE AND I CANT EVER RECALL A GREAT FIGHTER THAT SIZE.
Ok folks stop using Haye beating Valuev as an example of anything. Valuev is a horrible circus act and can’t really fight. Arreola, while not that impressive (like ALL heavyweights) CAN fight and has too much power for Adamek, who doesn’t really have a heavy hand at heavy weight. Adamek is a better fighter but won’t be able to hurt Arreola who will…you know what why are we even commenting? Adamek needs to stay at his weight and If you need a catch weight you don’t need to be fighting bigger guys. Stay at your own weight.
Haye beat Valuev, a man who has never been able to fully use his advantage, he has been “Schooled” by even smaller men than Haye, Chagaev and Holyfield. Valuev is not a good examle of a big man being beaten by a smaller man.
For me Tyson is THE example of a smaller man beating almost all the big men in his early days. But we don’t have a Tyson any more.
Just too big? Can I remind the author that Haye (a small heavyweight) just schooled the biggest heavyweight in the world and took his title…
Arreola is another fat, lazy, sorry slob that should be out of the game. He gives the heavyweight division a bad name…… He’s just another sparring partner…. Adamek will beat him by either a lopsided decision or late knockout…
why are you talking about catch weights? If you can’t make it in the heavyweights you stay in the cruiserweights.
A catch weight of 235?Adamek would have to juice up and HGH the hell out of himself to make it to that weight and still be ripped. What are people talking about this weight for,are you supporting drug use in boxing?
Meant to say 235…obviously
If Arreola trained properly he’d be coming in naturally at 135 like he used to and he’d have too much power i think for most heavyweights out there at the moment.
“When your fighting guys that big, it doesn’t matter how good you are. They’re just too big.” What a load of bullsh*t. Did someone fail to explain that to Tyson who was always the smaller man, and Valuev is over 7 feet tall. His size wasn’t worth a lot to him against Chaguev or Haye, what a load of rubbish
Wow that was the worse post i read so far. Let’s brake it down 1) chris make 235(or anything below250) are u kidding me?! 2) if chris did weigh 235 he’d be in his best shape and REALLY lay down some leather so admark would be better off him coming in at 290 or what ever he is by now (I like both fighters just saying) 3) catch weight in heavyweights? 4) ur not gonna beat kilz if u can’t beat chris at what ever weight he comes in stupid stupid stupid!!!! Anyones feel free to prove me wrong I’d apricate it!
I like Adamak. He has great work ethic and discipline. With all these fighters that only fight twice a year its good to see a Champion defending his crown. Much Respect. Arreola will be a great test. This has the makings of a good match up….
Adamek wouldn’t stand a chance against Haye. Don’t make me laugh.
When in any weight class other than heavyweight one can get away with catchweights. But a heavyweight?!? No, if you want to fight the big boys than you fight the big boys- no strings attached. If you can’t beat the heavyweights at the heavyweight level, than he can go back to the cruiserweight division. The cruiserweight division was invented for this exact reason! To give people like Tomasz a fair chance of becoming a champion.
there is no way arreola is gonna make 235. if adamek wants to be a full time heavy, he should just worry about his own weight. plus, the bigger arreola is, the better chance adamek has of pulling away in the late rounds. part of the beauty of the heavies is that a small man has a chance of bringing down giants. adamek’s combination of speed and pop is enough to bring anyone other than the big brothers down to his size.