Adamek Ahead of Szpilka: I’ll Enter the Ring as a Warrior and Leave It as One

- Is this the fight of your last chance? In the event of a defeat, could people speak of the end of your real career?
Tomasz Adamek: If I looked at it that way, I wouldn’t step into the ring. After my March defeat to Vyacheslav Glazkov, I rested. I feel fresh and I’m ready to fight. I have eight weeks of hard work ahead of me. Starting Tuesday, I’ll train twice a day.

- Is Artur Szpilka a challenge of a similar caliber to Glazkov?
TA: It simply wasn’t my day. I was slow, and that’s why I lost. I’ve had more than one battle in the ring, so the rest did me good. As for Szpilka, I’m not afraid of anything. The fans want to see me in action. So I’ll enter the ring as a great warrior and leave it as a warrior. That’s who Tomasz Adamek is.

- Were there disagreements over the number of rounds?
TA: Yes. We wanted to have the fight contracted for twelve rounds, while Szpilka’s side insisted on ten. I agreed—let it be ten. It makes no difference to me. I could just as well fight for five or six rounds. I’ll win one hundred percent.

- If that happens, will you still pursue high-stakes fights? Or, regardless of the result, will this be one of the final bouts of your career?
TA: It all depends on how I perform against Szpilka. If it turns out that I’m still fast and fresh, it will mean I can keep fighting for a while longer. My style is based on speed and craftiness. I need those elements in the ring. When they are gone, it will be time to walk away. Punches are thrown in a fight; you can lose your health, or even your life. Today I feel rested and very fast. That’s a sign that I’ve regenerated well. If I feel the same way on November 8, I’ll take on another challenge and perhaps still find myself in a major fight.

- Did you expect Szpilka to provoke you during the press conference?
TA: Every reasonable person knows that provocations have nothing to do with fighting. I’ve never talked much, yet I ended 49 bouts as the winner. You can say a lot and then show nothing in the ring. That’s when you make a fool of yourself and look like an idiot. I’m a man who doesn’t talk—I delivers.

Interviewed by: Przemysław Osiak, przegladsportowy.pl