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07/09/2008 Archived Entry: "Press Conference for ‘Polish Warrior’—Adamek vs. Gomez Not a ‘Tune-Up!’"

Press Conference for ‘Polish Warrior’—Adamek vs. Gomez Not a ‘Tune-Up!’
A war in store this Friday night at the Aragon Ballroom

Photos and report by Juan C. Ayllon

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Tomasz Adamek (left) and Gary Gomez pose at the dais of today's press conference in Chicago


CHICAGO—Fighting with a broken nose, his courageous battle with Paul Briggs at the United Center was the stuff of legend. The audience thundered throughout as he won the Vacant World Boxing Council Light Heavyweight Title by majority decision. That was May 21, 2005. Rising from the canvas early in their rematch, he stormed back to defeat Briggs by the narrowest of margins at the Rosemont Horizon in October 2006 and, although he lost his crown to Chad Dawson by decision in February 2007, Tomasz Adamek (34-1, 23 KO’s) has done the improbable: He’s gained 24 pounds and remains poised for another championship. Last May, he stopped ex-champ O’Neal Bell in eight rounds for the IBF Cruiserweight Title Eliminator in Adamek’s native Katowice, Poland. All that stands between him and that title shot is a tune-up fight this Friday at the Aragon Ballroom.

Wait. Did someone say “tune-up?”

They’re at a press conference trumping up Adamek’s fight at Ferajna’s Restaurant, a modern looking Polish establishment done up in taupe, red, light walnut and brick with a new stone facade out front. Comparing records and seeing them physically next to one another, this assessment seems about right.

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Tomasz Adamek mugs for the camera

At 6’ 1 ½”, Adamek stands a good six inches over Gary Gomez (18-9, 7 KO’s), a barrel-chested Latino hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah, with a pug nose and a long scar running the left side of his jaw; something scrawled in tattooed Old English runs the left side of his neck. Thick striated calves peek out from long Navy shorts, complementing Adamek’s lanky whipcord physique. In his red baseball cap, running shoes and white T-shirt with the red “Team Adamek” logo, he looks every bit the clean cut, pedigreed athlete, whereas Gomez, in his un-tucked white collared short sleeved shirt, oversized denim shorts and pristine white athletic shoes, could pass for a burly tradesman or an ex-gangbanger dressed in the urban youth summer casual that dominates American pop culture these days.

“He’s not someone you’d like to face in a dark alley,” says his manager, Sam Ditusa.

To his credit, Gomez has never been stopped—or knocked down, for that matter, according to Ditusa. Moreover, he gave former heavyweight contender Jeremy Williams a hearty battle in a bout many thought Gomez won last August.

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Sam Ditusa (left) and Gary Gomez

Ditusa is a husky policeman two years from retirement based in Washington with a graying full head of hair combed straight back. He grew up boxing in the amateurs in Chicago, has been involved with boxing ever since and, in addition to his managerial duties writes for Fightnews.com. Commenting on Gomez’s fight versus Williams, he says, “Get a film of the fight. Watch it. You tell me what you think. I thought he won five rounds to three clearly.

“That’s been the story of Gary’s career—he fought Kenny Keene, he dropped Kenny three times in a 10 round fight, and he lost the fight nine rounds to one on the cards,” he continues. “It’s been the story of his career—fighting bigger name guys, favorable situations for them, and we’re doing it again tonight. But, [it’s] Chicago, I grew up here, I know this is one city where you will get a fair shake. It’s on national TV; it’s not something obscure. So, if Gary comes out and wins this fight, I’m very confident that he’ll get the nod.”

Still, the fact that his fighter was the designated opponent rankles him.

“Main Events was looking for a tune-up fight to keep Adamek active…but to be honest with you, we were insulted because if you look deep into Gary’s record and what he’s about, he’s not a ‘keep active’ type of opponent,” he says. “Gary’s the naturally bigger guy, the stronger guy. He’s tough. We’re going to wind him up, and we’re going to put him in fifth gear, and he’s going to go right after him! I think Gary’s going to win a unanimous decision. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hurt him several times in the fight.

“Gary’s been very durable—he’s one of the most durable fighters in the world. And he’s fought big name heavyweights. I just like his chances—he’s bigger, stronger, hungrier guy,” he says. “We sent him up to camp for the first time in his career. He was up three weeks in the mountains in…Idaho sparring with big, young, fast heavyweights getting ready for this fight. I just like his chances.”

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Gary Gomez shares his thoughts on his upcoming fight with Adamek's trainer (cross-armed at left) and Adamek in the background

And so does his fighter. “I’m well prepared, I’m ready, and I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m here to take him out—that’s it,” says Gomez, a single father of four boys ages 15, 13, 10 and 11 named Michael, Angelo, Johnny and Troy (he also fathered another child, Isaiah, with his girlfriend in September). “I feel like I can’t get a decision here, so I’ve got 10 rounds to knock him out.”

He blames family and personal problems that he couldn’t tend to—or things that “might fall apart” in his absence for the fact that this is his first training camp. Now, he says, “being able to go out of town and train and all the outside stuff being perfect, my mind’s right, everything’s going good, so I’m really focused for this fight.”

“I’ve lost a lot of fights where I’ve beat the guys bad, and [the judges] still didn’t give it to me, so I’m going to take the fight like I can’t get a decision, so I’ve got to take him out," concludes Gomez. "That’s the only way.”

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Adamek at the podium

“I just hope that both of us can go into the ring hoping we can serve the fans. We’re boxers,” says Adamek through an interpreter. “Whatever he says, I can say exactly the same. I’m going to do exactly the same. The most important thing that I know is that I will win. I will not make any prediction, but I will win for sure.”

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Tune-up or not, this one should be fun while it lasts. Friday. Be there.


* * *


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Fonfara speaks from the podium

Fighting in a televised co-main event, Warsaw-by-way-of-Chicago middleweight up and comer, Andrzej Fonfara, (10-1, 3 KO’s) spoke briefly on his bout versus Gary, Indiana’s muscular slugging sensation, Derrick Findley, 24, (11-2, 6 KO’s)—who administered a hearty beating to boxing reality show “The Contender” participant “Macho” Miguel Hernandez in May and was conspicuously absent from the proceedings. He said, “This is my weapon: Left long jab and distance. And I win this fight. No fight with this guy; this fight is with the jab and right hand.”

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Thomas Treiber makes some announcements

Noted ring announcer Thomas Treiber emceed the proceedings in smooth fashion, although he drew a few smiles—and a word of correction afterwards from Tina Park (wife of promoter Dominic Pesoli)—for pronouncing Adamek as “Adum-meek.”

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Piotr Wilczewski speaks up

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The tall Mariusz Wach shares his thoughts

Polish super middleweight Piotr Wilczewski and Polish heavyweight Mariusz Wach also spoke on their bouts on Friday. However, like Fonfara and Adamek, they addressed the audience in Polish and, unlike Fonfara, did not respond to questions in English.

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Illinois Boxing Commissioner Ron Puccillo says, "I've seen a lot of boxing, but this fight's got me excited!"

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Margaret Blaszczuk of Polstat 2 International television served as anchor for coverage televised to Poland.

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Dominic Pesoli shares his thoughts on Friday's fights

Entitled, "Return of the Polish Warrior," Friday’s fights will be promoted by Kathy Duva’s Main Events, Dominic Pesoli’s 8 Count Productions and Ziggy Promotions, a portion of which will be telecast on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights and—from what I understand—Polstat 2 International.

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Fonfara (left) and Wach (right) with an unidentified friend

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An amusing shot taken during a lull in the proceedings

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Fonfara strikes a fighting pose for the camera

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