By Jake Donovan (Joe Harrison and Luis Pabon also at ringside)

Call it the fight before the fight. With a title fight against cruiserweight titlist Steven Cunningham waiting in the wings, Tomasz Adamek was all business in his seventh round stoppage of Gary Gomez at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, IL.

The bout served as the main event of ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights telecast.

The first round set the table for the entire fight. Adamek worked wisely behind his jab, tagging Gomez to his fleshy midsection when the opportunity presented itself. The attack otherwise remained upstairs, Adamek landing right hands while Gomez simply plodded forward.

Not much changed in the second round, though Adamek began throwing and landing more combinations. A repeat series of right-left-rights bounced of Gomez’ hand as chants of “To-masz” progressively increased seemingly with every landed punch. It continued in the third, with Adamek fighting well while in reverse. Gomez attempted to open up a bit more, but it only led to more punishment in return.

The tempo never changed, with rounds four and five all but mirroring one another. It changed in the sixth, as Gomez began fighting like a man who had the fight beaten out of him.

The foundation for a body attack was being laid throughout, but it was in the sixth that proved to be pivotal. Adamek dug downstairs, with Gomez less and less willing to engage or even stick around to absorb.

By rounds end, Gomez was shaking his head as if he finally had enough. His corner told the referee as much, ending the fight prior to the start of the seventh round. The reason offered was an injured hand, though Gomez could also be seen wincing in pain as if he suffered a rib injury as well.

The official time was 0:01 of round seven.

For Adamek, it’s his second corner stoppage win of 2008, as he moves to 35-1 (24KO). Already the mandatory challenger for Cunningham, Team Adamek is now looking at a possible autumn title fight. Where it lands is anyone’s guess, though Cunningham, boxing’s latest road warrior, has no problem fighting him in Chicago or overseas.

The loss is the third straight for Gomez (18-10-1, 7KO), but the first time in his eight year career that he’s been stopped.

Derrick “Superman” Findley scored a considerable upset in the evening’s televised co-feature, pole-axing crowd favorite Andrzej Fonfara in the second round of their middleweight bout.

Fonfara began the fight working behind his jab, utilizing his massive height and reach advantage. Findley’s best chance was making it an inside fight, which he attempted in taking the fight downstairs, digging left hooks to the ribcage. Chants of “Andrzej” filled the ballroom, with the rabid crowd given more reason to cheer as a left hand drove Findley into the ropes late in the round. Findley landed a few reaching right hands, but left himself open for Fonfara’s long left in return.

The chants of An-Drzej picked up in round two, with the Aragon more and more resembling Little Krakow. You wouldn’t know from the crowd’s reaction that it was actually a competitive fight. Findley sent an emphatic reminder late in the round, flooring the Pole with a right hand.

Fonfara crashed to the deck, arising on unsteady legs in barely beating the referee’s count.

“I saw the look in his eyes when he got up,” said Findlely. “I knew it was over at that point,”

He fought like a man determined not to let the moment pass. It was a race against the clock; he won, flooring Fonfara a second time. A flurry of punches landed just before and at the bell, with Andrzej falling flat on his face a few ticks afterward. Referee Celestino Ruiz issued a count, but quickly recognized that Fonfara was in no position to continue, waving off the bout.

The official time was 2:59 of round two.

Findley scores his sixth straight win, though as he improves to 12-2 (7KO). With only three years in as a pro, it’s too early to advance him to contender status. At the same time, his team is looking to capitalize on the biggest win of his career.

“We’re working on some things,” said his promoter, Octavious James. “He’s only 24 and the sky’s the limit. Once you come off of a win like this, and the one before, you have to take it to the next level.”

How high they climb remains to be seen, though it’s clear that Findley has moved well beyond the club circuit.

“There are a couple of names out there that’s been mentioned,” says James. “We have some things brewing, and his next fight will definitely be on that keeps Derrick in the mix.”

Fonfara drops to 10-2 (3KO), snapping a seven fight win streak with the knockout loss.

A heavyweight swing bout between Mariusz Wach and Eric Boose was already scheduled for TV time, but the quick ending in the co-feature had the big boys marched out earlier than expected. The early entrance was a welcome treat as the bigger (6’7½”) and heavier (261 lb) Wach dominated the action en route to seventh round stoppage.

Boose was game, but had few answers for Wach’s right hand, which landed down the middle and over the top pretty much anytime the slightest of openings presented itself.

A couple of spirited exchanges took place in the early rounds, with Boose doing his best to get close enough to land counter rights. Wach enjoyed a big third round before being reminded in the fourth that Boose was there to serve as more than a punching bag.

Wach landed a couple of right hands that drew a rise from the crowd in the fifth, but took his foot off of the gas and opted to show off his defensive skills. The tactic momentarily quieted the crowd, his queue to start landing right hands. He landed several, but Boose bravely fought back, sneaking in a left hook before the end of the round.

It would be his last moment of glory. Wach went on the attack in the sixth, a round so one-sided that Boose’s corner opted for a time out. Since none are afforded in boxing, they went into the bag of tricks, loosening up the tape which bought him about another minute or so.

He’d have been better off remaining on his stool. Wach went ballistic, landing a bunch of right hands and quite a few left hooks as well. Boose was out on his feet as the referee stepped in to rescue him.

The official time was 1:53 of round seven.

Wach remains unbeaten, moving to 17-0 (8KO) in scoring his second straight stoppage. Boose falls to 14-3-1 (8KO), ending a modest two-fight winning streak against unspectacular opposition.

Off-TV:
Pitor Wilczewski (19-0, 6KO) helped raise the curtain with a second round knockout over 41-year old super middleweight journeyman Thomas Reid (35-23-1, 13KO). A left hook late in the second put Reid flat on his back. He beat the count, but stumbled into the ropes, prompting referee Gerald Scott to wave off the bout. The official time was 2:59 of round two.

In the only fight of the evening not featuring a Polish/Polish-American fighter, Chicago’s own Gerald Taylor (4-0-1, 2KO) dominated Walter Foster (3-1, 3KO) in a battle of unbeaten super middleweights. Taylor had Foster on the canvas for what seemed to be 100 times, but was only credited with four official knockdowns. With the bout shortened from six to four rounds, it was more than enough to secure victory at night’s end. Scores were 40-32 and 39-33 (2x).

The final bout of the evening was also its quickest. Hometown favorite Dervidas Nekrases (4-0, 4KO) had his way with hapless journeyman Quinton Smith (2-4, 0KO) for as long as the bout lasted, flattening him midway through the first round. Smith attempted to get up, but was in no condition to continue, forcing a stoppage at just 1:44 into the opening round.

The show was presented by Main Events and 8 Count Productions.

Jake Donovan is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the Tennessee Boxing Advisory Board. Contact Jake at JakeNDaBox@gmail.com