Klitschko vs. Adamek
Former IBF cruiserweight champion and now WBO/NABO, and IBF International heavyweight titlist Tomasz Adamek, and former WBO super bantamweight belt holder Daniel Ponce De Leon both have something in common concerning their separate bouts which will both be broadcast on HBO this weekend. They are each facing impeccable odds in what figure to be tremendous up hill battles for both men, as each will be opposed by adversaries who have distinct and overwhelming advantages over them. In the first of these two bouts on HBO for the WBC heavyweight title scheduled to start at 1:45 PM EST from Stadion Miejski in Wroclaw, Poland, the home country of the challenging Tomasz Adamek 44-1 (28 KO?s), Tomasz literally has an uphill battle to say the least in opposing the 6 foot 7 ? inch Vitali Klitschko 42-2 (39 KO?s), who in addition has a 5 inch reach advantage. It is not so much that Vitali is invincible, it is that after watching Tomasz in training that I have reached the conclusion that the motions he has went through, and the apparent game plan he will implement, would spell defeat for neither of the Klitschko brother?s, but rather for himself. From Tomasz? workout sessions, and as far as I can tell, he is basically looking to use the ring, fight at angles, and block or catch punches to then counter the taller Klitschko, which is all well and good if Vitali falls in with his blows or stands perfectly still, which he is not likely to do. With that said, Adamek will do significantly better than any other previous opponent has done against Vitali, especially considering Tomasz mental makeup and the fact that he will come to fight, as I am sure he will, scoring a few points here and there along the way. However, with demonstrably little to non existent knockout power at the heavyweight level, one has to understand that in turning or using an angle from the outside against a man as large and lengthy as a Vitali Klistchko, that it?s virtually going to leave Tomasz in the same place as before he started this type of maneuver, outside and out of range. In other words, angles from a distance will do Adamek no good whatsoever. He must use angles in close where Klitsckko is vulnerable and knows it. That?s why it?s no secret that both Klitschko brother?s have tremendous jabs and they use them. Their jabs are not only utilized to set up their opponents for follow up blows, but perhaps more so to keep their adversaries at a distance away from them, where they have trouble unloading inside punches and are more vulnerable to the shorter, quicker handed opponents, provided the adversary is brave enough to venture inside against a Klitschko. That?s where you beat Vitali, on the inside. But you first have to neutralize his jab, and that?s why this fight is perhaps going to be even more of an uphill battle for Adamek than it could have been. I just didn?t see Tomasz and his trainer Roger Bloodworth working in training to get on the inside after neutralizing a jab, but I rather saw them working on blocking and countering from a distance to then move away. Others have tried to fight this way against Vitali, and unless you are as tall or as lengthy as the German based Ukranian, then you are setting yourself up for a disappointment.
