By Sam Geraci
In a crossroads fight to determine who is a top-ten fighter versus who
deserves a title shot, Tomasz Adamek (48-2, 28 KOs) defeated “Fast” Eddie
Chambers (38-2, 18 KOs) via unanimous decision in an entertaining fight in
which Chambers fought courageously with one arm throughout most of the
fight because of an injury. Two judges scored it 116-112 while one judge
somehow scored it 119-109. From my couch, I scored it 116-114 for Chambers.
Here’s what I saw:
*Round 1:*
A very close round in which Adamek was the aggressor but Chambers landed
the more effective shots. Unfortunately, I don’t think Chambers’s clean
shots were enough to take the round. I scored it even.
*Score and Takeaways*: Adamek was aggressive but did not look sharp.
Although Chambers looks very fast and sharp, especially with the right
hand, he needs to be more active to win rounds. Could be a significant
round in determining the fight if its close. *10-10*
*Round 2:*
Again, this is a tough round to score. More of the same from round one:
Adamak comes forward and Chambers effectively counters with the right. I
thought Chambers landed enough clean rights and suppressed Adamek’s
aggression.
*Score and Takeaways:* Chambers looks very confident and sharp while
Adamek’s game plan is not working; Adamek looks slower and more bulky than
we are accustomed to seeing. *10-9 Chambers *
*Round 3:*
It’s not said often, but at this point, Adamek is being out boxed and to
some extent outclassed. Adamek continues to come forward but is being
countered by the right consistently. Towards the second half of the round,
Adamek began to throw shots a little more wildly.
*Score and Takeaways:* According to the broadcast, Chambers might have
injured his left arm. Having said that, he his looking impressive. Unless
Adamek can land something big or Chambers fades, this is starting to look
like a wide UD victory for Chambers. *10-9 Chambers*.
*Round 4:*
Despite the injury, Chambers deftly handles Adamek’s aggression. The
counter right and at times the lead right of Chambers are controlling this
fight. Adamek continues to come forward with determination but is becoming
less effective and seems to be tiring.
*Score and Takeaways:* The defense of Chambers has been really impressive.
He hasn’t been hit cleanly with anything of substance. Adamek looks
somewhat lost at this point. He needs to switch to plan B or C if he has
one *10-9 Chambers.*
*Round 5:* For the first time in the fight, Adamak chose to back up and
become the counterpuncher. It worked. While he didn’t cause any damage, he
was more effective and Chambers was really inactive.
*Score and Takeaways: *Adamek’s experience is beginning to show. Although
he didn’t cause any damage, the switch to counterpunching has changed the
fight. Because Chambers hasn’t thrown the left consistently, I am beginning
to wonder how damaged it might be. *10-9 Adamek*
*Round 6:*
Adamek was very effective in fighting while backing up. This was by far
Adamek’s best round. He completely outpunched Chambers. Chambers is
beginning to look tired and his work rate has plummeted.
*Score and Takeaways:*
Contrary to popular belief, Adamak should not try to overpower the
“smaller” fighter. Since making the adjustment to wait for Chambers to
close the distance, Adamek has looked impressive and taken control of the
fight. *Adamek 10-9*
*Round 7:*
Chambers completely dominated the round with his defense and his right
hand: lead and counter rights. Whenever Adamek throws a lazy jab, Chambers
is quick to counter. Good round for Chambers
*Score and Takeaways: *It seems as though Adamek has no answer for Chambers
when Chambers is active. Unfortunately for Chambers, he seems to be
fighting with one hand. Adamek is also beginning to show some signs of
fatigue. *10-9 Chambers*
*Round 8: *
For some reason, Adamek has reverted to coming forward and
missing as he did in the earlier rounds. Adamek has been completely
ineffective when leading with the jab. Despite Adamek’s ineffective
aggressiveness, Chambers is doing more showboating than fighting. He has
been too inactive again. Close round.
*Score and Takeaways: *If Chambers would increase his work rate, this fight
wouldn’t even be close. Having said that, I am not sure if he can fight any
better with only one arm. How can you increase your work rate with only one
hand doing all of the work? But, because he didn’t increase his work rate
in this round, I scored it even. The scoring of this round could very well
determine the winner. *10-10*
*Round 9:*
Adamek is finally opening up. Adamek might finally realize that
Chambers is only fighting with one hand. In addition, Adamek is back to
being patient and waiting for Chambers to close the distance before
exploding. Although he isn’t landing much more than Chambers, he is winning
the round. Good round for Adamek
*Score and Takeaways:* It is clear that Chambers can no longer use his
left. If Adamek and his corner are smart, they’d stop with the ineffective
jab and continue fighting in spurts of powerful combinations like Adamek
did this round. Chambers can’t fight back in exchanges with just one hand.
*10-9 Adamek*
*Round 10:*
Chambers came out aggressive and has landed the right with
authority. Adamek is beginning to look tired and Chambers is countering
every lazy jab with a quick overhand right. Despite a few effective jabs
from Adamek, Chambers dominated the round.
*Score and Takeaways:* Although most of us might consider Adamek more of
cruiserweight, tonight he is fighting like a heavyweight; that’s not a good
thing. Adamek seems incapable of mounting the high volume attack needed to
carry the fight. Instead, whenever he tires, he reverts to that lazy jab
and gets countered. Who knows what would have happened tonight if Chambers
had two hands.
*10-9 Chambers*
*Round 11: *
Chambers came out and countered another lazy jab from Adamek
with an effective overhand right to start the round. Adamek is back to
being the aggressor which has been and continues to be completely
ineffective. Although he didn’t land many shots, I thought the tight
defense as well as several of effective right hands of Chambers was enough
to carry the round.
*Score and Takeaways: *This fight comes down to this: Whenever Adamek is
the aggressor with that lazy jab he gets dominated by the right. Because
Chambers is fighting with only one hand, Adamek should be exploding with
combinations as Chambers closes the distance. For some reason, however,
Adamek has done it consistently. *10-9 Chambers*
*Round 12: *
Adamek came out with urgency and dominated the first minute of
the round. If Adamek had fought the whole fight like this, especially
considering that Chambers fought nearly the whole fight with one hand,
Adamak might have won the fight. Adamek has completely outworked and
out-landed Chambers with big shots. Big round for Adamek.
*Score and Takeaways: *This is the work rate that made Adamek a force at
the heavyweight division despite his lack of size. Although Chambers was
never hurt, he was unable to counter with the right because Adamek stayed
refrained from throwing his lazy jab and threw powerful combinations with
both hands.
*10-9 Adamek*
*Total: 114-116 Chambers*
* *
This type of fight often leads to controversial decisions because one
fighter doubled the punch output of the other fighter despite being
out-landed. Adamek threw 919 punches compared to 422 from Chambers, but
Chambers landed 152 punches compared to 134 for Adamek. There were
definitely a few rounds that could have gone either way, especially rounds
1 and 8, but a score of 119-109 is absurd. I am looking forward to a
rematch. The winner of the rematch ought to be considered for a Klitschko
before a fighter like Arreola is.
Undercard Results:
John “The Apollo Kid” Thompson (8-0, 2KOs) defeated John “No Mercy” Mackey
(6-6-1) via unanimous decision. One judge scored the fight 59-55 while the
other two scored it 59-56.
Tureano Johnson (9-0, 6 KOs) defeated Roberto Young (5-5-1, 4 KOs) via
unanimous decision. All three judges scored the fight 58-56.
Jose “Mangu” Peralta (9-1, 5 KOs) defeated Dontre King (6-11-2, 2 KOs) via
fourth round TKO. Peralta floored Kink in the third and fourth rounds.
John “The Apollo Kid” Thompson (8-0, 2KOs) defeated John “No Mercy” Mackey
(6-6-1) via unanimous decision. One judge scored the fight 59-55 while the
other two scored it 59-56.
Patrick “Paddy Boy” Farrell (7-1-, 3 KOs) defeated David “The Amateur”
Williams (6-6-1, 2 KOs) via unanimous decision. One judge scored the fight
39-36 while the other two scored it 40-35.
Bryant “Bye Bye” Jennings (13-0, 6 KOs) completely dominated and outclassed
the game Steve “Freight Train” Collins (25-1-1, 18 KOs) via unanimous
decision to win the USBA heavyweight championship. All three judges scored
the fight 100-89. Despite hurting Collins throughout the fight and being
credited with a knockdown in the fourth after the ropes held up Collins,
Jennings was unable to close the show. Although Jennings was unable to stop
Collins, his hand-speed and ability to put punches together were
impressive, especially considering his limited experience. From this fight
alone, the only noticeable weaknesses in Jennings’s game were his defense
against the right hand while exchanging and his lack of punching power.
Jamaal “The Truth” Davis (13-8-1, 6 KOs) defeated Doel Carrasquillo
(16-19-1, 14 KOs) in an uneventful fight. Davis controlled the first six
rounds with his jab and movement but faded in the seventh and eighth
rounds. One judge scored it 79-73 while the other two scored it 78-74. I
have no idea why this fight was televised on a Saturday night before a
meaningful heavyweight fight.
