Tag: Curtis Stevens

UNBEATEN ADAM KOWNACKI DEFEATS CHRIS ARREOLA BY UNANIMOUS DECISION

Kownacki Aerreola Header

UNBEATEN ADAM KOWNACKI DEFEATS CHRIS ARREOLA BY UNANIMOUS DECISION IN RECORD SETTING ACTION FIGHT THAT HEADLINED FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT FROM BARCLAYS CENTER IN BROOKLYN

Former Champion Jean Pascal Edges Marcus Browne By Technical Decision After Accidental Headbutt Ends Fight in Round Eight
&
Wale Omotoso Stops Curtis Stevens in Third Round of
154-Pound Duel

Photo Credits- Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions

BROOKLYN (August 4, 2019) – Unbeaten Polish star and Brooklyn native Adam Kownacki (20-0, 15 KOs) earned a unanimous decision over Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (38-6-1, 33 KOs) in an all-action brawl in front of his hometown fans that headlined FOX PBC Fight Night main event and on FOX Deportes Saturday night from Barclays Center, the home of BROOKLYN BOXING™.

Kownacki and Arreola set the CompuBox heavyweight record for combined punches landed and thrown in a heavyweight fight. They landed a combined 667 punches, besting the previous record of 650, while throwing 2,172 punches, far surpassing the previous mark of 1,730.

Highlights from the fight can be found HERE, HERE and HERE.

“Chris is an Aztec warrior,” said Kownacki. “He’s a great fighter. I knew it would be a tough fight and I prepared for it. The CompuBox numbers prove it was a great fight.”

“Adam is relentless,” said Arreola. “He just keeps coming. I know I got him with some good punches and he got me with some good ones. I was more than ready to go all 12, but Adam came in and won the fight.”

The action began right from the first bell, as Kownacki charged at Arreola and immediately began exchanging as both men threw power punches in bunches. Kownacki worked off of his jab to initiate his offense, while Arreola was effectively able to counter his hard-charging opponent and respond every time he was hit with a combination.

“I thought it was a good close fight but I knew I pulled it out,” said Kownacki. “I landed a lot of shots and that was enough to win. That’s all that matters.”

Kownacki stunned Arreola in the early moments of round two but Arreola quickly responded to slow Kownacki’s momentum. Arreola found more and more success with his overhand right as the fight went, landing the punch numerous times in the fourth and fifth round especially.

Round six was a back and forth affair that featured a big offensive surge from Kownacki early in the round, before an exciting exchange at the end of the round saw both men take heavy punches.

“I tried to follow up when I had him hurt but I was throwing two punches instead of three or four,” said Kownacki. “Props to Arreola because he proved he could still hang. I’m sure the fans would want to see him again.”

The middle rounds saw Arreola pick up a hand injury, but it didn’t appear to slow him down much as his punch output continued to be strong for the second half of the fight. For Kownacki, it was his first time going past 10 rounds as a pro.

After the punches continued to fly through the last bell, the two heavyweights embraced in the ring prior to hearing the judges’ scores. After 12 rounds, all three judges saw the fight in favor of Kownacki, by scores of 117-11 twice and 118-110.

“Retirement is something I need to talk to my family and team about,” said Arreola. “I gave it my all this fight. I let it all hang out. After breaking my hand, I kept fighting because I believed I could win.”

“I just have to keep training hard, getting better and sharpening my skills,” said Kownacki. “We’ll see what the future holds. Hopefully next year I’ll get the title shot.”

The co-main event saw former world champion Jean Pascal (34-6-1, 20 KOs) earn a narrow technical decision over previously unbeaten Marcus Browne (23-1, 16 KOs) to capture the WBA interim light heavyweight title after an accidental headbutt ended the fight in round eight.

“Boxing is boxing,” said Pascal. “We clashed heads, but at the end of the day, I was winning the round. I dropped him three times. It was a close fight, but I believe I was winning.”

Browne appeared to be in control early, using his jab effectively and finishing his combos with power punches. Throughout the fight, Browne would land 52% of his power punches according to CompuBox.

In round four, Pascal broke through landing a perfect right hand that connected with Browne as he threw his own right hook. Browne hit the canvas for the third time in his career, but was able to make it through the round.

Watch Pascal score the knockdown HERE

Browne looked to have regained control of the fight until late in round seven when Pascal again connected on a powerful right hook that caught Browne during an exchange. Pascal jumped on Browne after he got to his feet and knocked him down a third time right before the bell ended round seven.

Montreal’s Pascal was looking to finish Browne in round eight, while Browne looked to effectively navigate the ring while recovering from the previous round. It was midway through the round that Pascal hit Browne with an accidental headbutt on the ropes that opened a cut over Browne’s left eye.

Watch the headbutt HERE

Referee Gary Rosato halted the bout 1:49 into the round, on the advice of the ringside physician, meaning the fight went to the scorecards. By winning the shortened eighth round on all three judges’ cards, Pascal won the fight by the score of 75-74 three times.

“I could hear my daughter ringside and that was motivation for me,” said Pascal. “She was yelling my name all night long. I’m going to go home and talk to my team to see what is next. Canada has Drake, the NBA Champions and now I’m bringing the belt home.”

Browne was unavailable for post fight comments as he was taken to NYU Lutheran Medical Center due to the cut.

The opening bout on FOX saw Wale Omotoso (28-4, 22 KOs) drop Curtis Stevens (30-7, 22 KOs) three times on his way to a third round stoppage victory in their super welterweight clash.

For Stevens it was his first fight at 154-pounds, and he was tested at the new weight from the outset. Omotoso began moving and jabbing around the ring as Stevens stalked him and tried to throw power punches to slow his movement. Late in the first round, Omotoso broke through with a right hand to the side of Stevens’ head that dropped him in the middle of the ring.

“My coach told me to keep my hands up, be patient, box him and jab,” said Omotoso. “He told me I shouldn’t push it and that when the opening was there, I’d take it. That’s exactly what happened.”

“He hit me with an overhand right in the first round that knocked my equilibrium,” said Stevens. “But that didn’t really affect me too much. I wasn’t stepping enough into my punches, I was reaching. I got caught when I was reaching.”

In round two Omotoso landed a perfect jab on Stevens, as his opponent was throwing a left hook, that sent him down for the second time in the fight. Stevens again made it through the round, and began the next frame trapping Omotoso in the corner and connecting on power punches.

“I was just letting my hands go,” said Omotoso. “On the second knockdown my confidence grew. I was glad to get the victory by knockout.”

While Stevens was able to own the early moments of the third round, Omotoso hit him with a three punch combo that featured left hook, left uppercut and then straight right hand that put Stevens down for the third time. Stevens got to his feet but referee Johnny Callas halted the bout at 1:28 of the third round.

“I was okay but the referee has to do his job,” said Stevens. “I was down three times so I know he was looking out for my best interests.”

“I didn’t expect it to go exactly like that,” said Omotoso. “I was just listening to my coach. The second knockdown was actually with my jab. I have to talk to my team about what’s next. I’m thankful for this opportunity. I’m so happy to have this win. Give me anybody next, I’m ready.”

Watch Omotoso’s TKO over Curtis Stevens HERE

Snippets On Arguably The Hottest Topics In The Sweet Science This Week

Late Snippets-

Too Swift For His Own Good

Danny Garcia (31-1 19 KO) had his moments but it was not enough. Keith Thurman (28-0 22 KO) was just better. Thurman was masterful early using excellent movement while landing jabs, powerful combinations, and doing just enough body work to keep Garcia honest. The Garcia beard was as good as advertised. I still don’t know how he stayed on his feet with the early shot he took right off the chin that spun him around. As was stated, Thurman was masterful early. Thurman’s activity level greatly reduced in the second half of the fight. It appeared to me that he had hurt his right hand because he wasnt throwing it late as he was early, but that was not the case. Thurman simply stayed away and gave a few rounds away believing he had done enough to win. He was partly right but only because Garcia failed to cut off the ring with any regularity and while Garcia won rounds late, it wasnt enough.

Trojan Warrior 

Standing ovation for Tony Bellew (29-2-1 19 KO) for his mammoth victory over David Haye (28-3 26 KO). Granted, Haye fought injured from about the sixth round until the stoppage in the eleventh but such is sports. As we all know now, Haye tore his Achilles but really, before that happened Bellew was giving as good as he was getting. This was a good old-fashioned donnybrook with two warriors giving their all. While we praise Bellew for the victory, Mr. Haye deserves just as much credit if not more in defeat. When you tear an Achilles, you basically lose the use of the leg that sustained the injury. For Haye to have lasted almost five more rounds in a street brawl with that type of injury is nothing short of extraordinary.

Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program…..

Girl Power

The resurgence of women’s boxing is amazing and will continue to grow. On Friday night, two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (2-0 1 KO) stopped a game Szilvia Szabados (15-9 6 KO) in the fourth in front of her hometown fans of Flint/Detroit Michigan. This fight was entertaining in that Shields was throwing bombs on an opponent with a granite chin, while also showing a good chin of her own. I know Shields was hyped up at home for the knockout but she will benefit from working behind the jab to set up her power. Shields made this fight much harder than it needed to be but we’ll chalk that up to her excitement in that she was headlining the first ever women’s main event on a premium network.

Hot Shots-Part Lemieux

David Lemieux (37-3 33 KO) landed a left hook on Curtis Stevens (29-6 21 KO) that is still sending shock waves through the middleweight division. We knew the Canadian can bang but that short hook was a thing of beauty. To be fair, there was a right hand that landed before the KO shot but the short distance + the textbook hook on the chin sweet spot was lethal. The bout was entertaining until the stoppage with both men landing huge power shots. Lemieux did some great body work in the first which was the difference in the round. The second a bit closer, then the KO of the Year shot that ended things in the third. It was a blessing that Stevens was ok.

Meet Me In The Trap, It’s Going Down, Meet Me In The Mall, It’s Going Down, Meet Me In The Club, It’s Going Down, Anywhere Ya Meet Me Guaranteed To Go Down

Ok, it’s really like…Meet Me In The T-Mobile Arena It’s Going Down, such is the carousel of the Floyd Mayweather v. Coner McGregor rumored fight. The latest rumour is a June 10 matchup. A quick check of the hotels showed a 5X increase on June 9 and 10 at most Strip hotels. See the State of The Game article for Standing-8’s thoughts on this money-making circus act.

Boxing’s March Madness, Well, Sort Of

Super stoked for the World Boxing Super Series. The brainchild of former GBP CEO Richard Schaefer, now heading Ringstar Sports, and prominent UK promoter Kalle Sauerland, this bracketed tournament by weight class has us intrigued. The winner of each tournament (weight class) will win the Muhammad Ali trophy. A newly designed award approved by the Ali family. For more information, see World Boxing Super Series press releases on main page.

Miracle on 33rd Street

 This Saturday night, Danny Jacobs (32-1 29 KO) will get his shot at the title. Problem is, the titles are guarded by Gennady Golovkin (36-0 33 KO). Jacobs has a well chronicled story, a champion in the ring of life against one of the most feared assassins, cancer. He was told he would never fight again but here he is in with GGG for the right to wear the middleweight straps. Standing-8 has always thought that a stiff jab gives GGG problems, thing is, his opponents are so worried about what will be coming in return they deviate from the game plan. Jacobs is not known to have a great jab so there may be trouble already; however, another Standing-8 observation is that GGG can be exploited up through the middle. Throw a shot from the floor to the bottom of his chin and you will hit pay dirt. In Standing-8’s preview of the Kell Brook v. GGG bout, The Case For Kell Brook, we speculated that if Brook, who throws a great uppercut could land that punch, it may impact the fight. Brook did land the punch and we saw GGG truly rocked for a moment but again, worried about the return artillery, Brook was unable to sustain his plan. Jacobs throws a decent uppercut so again, there may be opportunities. That said, we have seen Jacobs rocked a few times in his career against lesser punchers which is not good. Jacobs has already defeated a foe more formidable than any opponent he will see in a ring, why not a miracle on 33rd street?