Watching boxing is supposed to be fun.
Everyone isn’t necessarily going to the future of their division, a future great, a legacy carver, or any of the other things that can distract from the root of why fans devote time and attention to the sweet science.
Watching boxing is fun.
That’s really the bottom line, isn’t it? While a scan of social media can make viewing boxing (or any other sport really) seem like a twisted journey of misanthropic wailing, don’t trust the noise. A good fight is still a joy to behold. A fun fighter is still something to look forward to.
30-year old Polish heavyweight Adam Kownacki (20-0, 16 KO) has been positioned for alphabet title contention and lies on the fringes of the TBRB, Ring, and ESPN top tens among others. While he won’t win any body beautiful contests, Andy Ruiz proved last year that’s not what matters. At 6’3, and weighing anywhere between the 240’s and 260’s, Kownacki has enough size and pop to fall into the category of ‘anything can happen’ if his chances ever come.
For now, it’s enough to be fun.
Kownacki is that.
In a slower week for the sport, Kownacki has the biggest broadcast stage of the week to himself. He faces former contender Robert Helenius (29-3, 18 KO) on Saturday (Fox, 8 PM EST). The 36-year old from Finland made a splash in 2011 with wins over Samuel Peter, Sergey Liakhovich, and Dereck Chisora. To date, it’s been the peak of his career. At 7-3 since 2016, including a knockout loss to Gerald Washington last year, those days appear well gone.
Kownacki is expected to win and probably will. If he does, the way he likely wins is what will make it worth turning in. Fans who saw his war with Charles Martin or high volume battle with Chris Arreola last year understand why. This is a television fighter.
Instead of focusing on what he may not be, or might be later, his fight with Arreola in particular is a reminder of what can be lost thinking in too big a picture.
Arreola was a fighter who, over the years, could be criticized for his conditioning or regular contention versus quality wins. In retrospect, those questions matter less than this one: was boxing better or worse having him around?
It certainly wasn’t the latter.
Arreola’s flaws, and his vocal humanity, made him consistently interesting. When he lost to better fighters, he still came to fight no matter where he entered from the scale. More often than not, he gave the paying masses what they came for.
Arreola gave them fun. It came in the ring, it came on the microphone, and it usually came on both. That was the case in notable main events and in the fights in between. Less time spent on what he wasn’t, and more time enjoying what he brought to the dance, would have made it easier to just sit back and enjoy.
Where Kownacki ends up in his career remains to be seen. Given his age, we’re likely to find out sooner than later. He’s closing in on a mandatory crack Anthony Joshua in both the IBF and WBO ratings. Considering Ruiz’s success in his first fight with Joshua, Kownacki could prove a threat.
If he doesn’t, the inevitable will occur. There will be discussion of Kownacki’s shape or weight fluctuations, many in feigned surprise despite the evidence already being in. Barring a big change, this is what we get with Kownacki.
We also get some good, nasty, big man battling. It isn’t always pretty but no one has to wonder if a fight is going to break out. Saturday night against Helenius, no matter how long it lasts, we’re going to see some leather fly.
Isn’t that really all we’re asking for?
Cliff’s Notes…
For those who want to see the leather fly and see greatness (and we all want to see that too), last Saturday was a reminder of how beautiful it can be. Roman Gonzalez’s performance against Khalid Yafai gets more impressive with repeat viewing. His speed, fluidity, subtle defense, and offensive creativity were all on display in a way that makes one think he really does have another run in him. Unification matches can’t come soon enough...Leo Santa Cruz probably doesn’t have a big chance against Gervonta Davis but the former bantamweight titlist deserves credit for the risk if the fight is finalized...It’s too bad more didn’t go out and see Birds of Prey. It’s a fun flick even if the content cut off a huge chunk of the logical audience. It will be a cult favorite for years to come...Read Colleen Aycock’s Max Baer biography and it comes recommended. It’s a fun read...There’s that word again.
Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com