By Dan Ambrose: Former WBC light heavyweight and IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek (40-1, 27 KO’s) moved up to the heavyweight division late last year in October 2009, chasing the bigger paydays that the fighters get at the heavyweight level. Immediately, Adamek found success, beating the 41-year-old Andrew Golota by 5th round stoppage to win the vacant IBF International heavyweight title.

Adamek followed that win with another win over a B level fighter by defeating Jason Estrada by a 12 round unanimous decision in February. As impressive as Adamek has looked in beating Golota and Estrada, he still has yet to fight a top ‘A’ level heavyweight. Tonight, Adamek will finally be facing a top tier fighter when he steps in the ring with #4 WBO ranked heavyweight contender Chris Arreola (28-1, 25 KO’s) Citizens Business Bank Arena, in Ontario, California.

Arreola, 29, is a fighter that Adamek will have to be able to beat in order to realize a part of his dream to get a shot at one of the heavyweight titles. IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko has already expressed interest in facing the winner of the Adamek-Arreola fight at some point in the near future.

If Adamek emerges as the winner, he could be getting a big payday against Wladimir in 2011, as soon as Wladimir takes care of his fights against Alexander Povetkin and possibly WBA heavyweight champion David Haye. Adamek will have to stay busy after the Arreola fight by fighting someone else. Hopefully it would be against another top tier fighter rather than another 2nd tier heavyweight for Adamek.

At 6’1”, the chances of Adamek winning a heavyweight title are very slim. Unless he goes after the 6’3” Haye, Adamek will probably have to be satisfied with just getting a nice payday in challenging for the title, but not winning. Adamek can go after WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko’s WBC title once he retires in 2011 or 2012, but it won’t be easy. There are a number of quality heavyweights that he would have to deal with first, such as Odlanier Solis, Samuel Peter, Alexander Povetkin and Nikolay Valuev.

It’s unclear whether Adamek has the size or the power to beat those fighters. The way he looked against Estrada, moving constantly and rarely mixing it up, I have my doubts that he’ll be able to beat these fighters. I do think Adamek will beat Arreola tonight. The 6’0” 250 pound Arreola will probably be too slow and possibly weight drained when he faces him tonight. Adamek should be able to out-box Arreola over 12 rounds and avoid his bombs in the early rounds to get the decision.