|
-Photo Credit: Tom Casino/Showtime-
NEWARK, N.J.
(Feb. 28,
2009) – It was all right hands on Friday’s
ShoBox: The New Generation.
International Boxing
Federation (IBF) cruiserweight
champion Tomasz
Adamek (37-1, 25 KOs) successfully defended his
title against Johnathon
Banks (20-1, 14 KOs) with a win
by technical knockout at 1:30 of the eighth round.
In the
evening’s co-feature,
Giovanni Lorenzo (27-1, 19 KOs) impressed the crowd
with a second-round knockout over
Dionisio Miranda
(19-3-2, 17 KOs).
The event,
promoted by Main Events
and Ziggy Promotions,
in association with K2
Promotions took place from
The Prudential Center
in Newark, N.J.
The 26-year
old Banks, fighting out of
Emanuel Steward’s
Kronk Gym in
Detroit, Mich., was seeking the world renowned gym’s first
world title in 25 years.
Banks opened
with four solid rounds behind an impressive jab and a powerful
right hand. Showing his class and ability in his first world
title fight, Banks had his eye on the prize.
But with the
raucous Polish-American crowd in attendance, Adamek took
control in the sixth with lethal combinations to the body and
the head.
“I changed
my tactic,” said Adamek after the fight, “and began to land
body punches that changed the fight. I have a lot of respect
for the right hand of Johnathon Banks but my trainer (Andrzej
Gmitruk) told me to be patient, not to rush in and my time
will come.”
Following a
big right from Banks in the eighth round, the iron-chinned
Adamek answered with a textbook right hand of his own that
sent Banks sailing into the ropes and down to the canvas. The
one punch all but ended the fight.
While Banks
beat the count, he was visibly shaken when the fight resumed.
Adamek took advantage of Banks’ weakness and delivered a final
barrage that forced referee
Eddie Cotton to
step in and end the fight as Banks folded again appearing
temporarily unconscious.
“Adamek
began with a slower pace then usual tonight,” said ShoBox
analyst Steve Farhood.
“But once he accelerated, he knew what to do to bring about a
relatively quick ending. Specifically, he began punching to
the body before
punching to the head.
“Any
fighter who can take the kind of power shots that Adamek takes
and keep moving forward is going to be in one thrilling fight
after another.”
At the time
of the stoppage the three judges ringside had the bout 68-65
and 66-67 twice for Adamek.
In his live,
post-fight interview with Farhood,
Adamek announced, “Everything is possible in the
United States. I believe I can be heavyweight world
champion.”
“Look out
David Haye,” added
ShoBox host and play-by-play announcer
Nick Charles.
After the
telecast, Charles added, “He has three things: Power in both
hands, a granite chin and an iron resolve. You can’t
discourage Tomasz Adamek, but he does have vulnerability which
makes him even more exciting to watch.”
In the
co-feature, Lorenzo, who fights out of New York City by way of
the Dominican Republic, ended his fight with Miranda in
similar fashion. After absorbing a stunning right from
Miranda, Lorenzo delivered a game-stopping right to Miranda’s
jaw. Miranda dropped and the referee counted him out at 2:48
of the second round.
After a
tough loss in June to veteran fighter
Raul Marquez,
Lorenzo emphatically returned to his winning ways. His
victory Friday night earned him the No. 1-ranked position to
fight for Arthur Abraham’s middleweight world title.
CONFIRMED:
The WBC Super Middleweight Championship fight between
undefeated title holder
Carl Froch (24-0, 19 KOs) and world renowned
Jermain Taylor
(28-2-1, 17 KOs) has been set for
April 25th,
live on SHOWTIME
at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed
on the West Coast).
Other
events coming up from SHOWTIME Sports:
ShoBox: The New Generation
Friday, March 13, live at 11 p.m. ET/PT*
IBF Super Middleweight World Championship
Lucian Bute
(23-0, 18 KOs) vs.
Fulgencio Zuniga (22-3-1, 19 KOs)
ShoBox: The New Generation
Special Saturday Edition, March 28, live at 11 p.m. ET/PT*
Featuring
undefeated contenders Andre
Dirrell (super middleweight, 17-0, 12 KOs) and
Ronald Hearns
(middleweight, 21-0, 17 KOs)
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING
Saturday,
April 4, live at 10:45 p.m. ET/PT*
WBC/WBO
140-Pound World Championship Unification
Timothy Bradley
(23-0, 11
KOs) vs. Kendall Holt
(25-2, 13 KOs)
ShoBox: The New Generation
Friday, April 17, live at 11 p.m. ET/PT*
Featuring undefeated featherweight
Yuriorkis Gamboa
2-28-2009
|
