Huge shock at Barclays Center. Kownacki knocked out by Helenius

A brutal battle at Barclays Center ended in a huge shock for Polish fans. Adam Kownacki (20-1, 15 KO) lost by TKO in the fourth round to Robert Helenius (30-3, 19 KO). The Finn turned the fight around with powerful punches and halted “Babyface’s” march.

Adam opened with a left jab to the body, then bravely moved into close range. He landed an overhand right over the left hand, a left hook to the head and hooks to the body. He also worked well with his left jab and straight right to the body. The Pole’s barrage did not let up. Helenius was driven around the ring and could not keep his opponent at a distance.

“Babyface” went to work from the first second of the second round. The Finn maintained his Nordic cool and looked for a big right hand, but Kownacki was the first to fire one. Moments later, however, the Pole walked onto a powerful straight right and a brutal exchange began. Adam was dominating, but he was also absorbing heavy shots. Late in the round, Helenius was trapped against the ropes and buried under a barrage of punches.

The third round began more calmly, but that did not last long. Adam’s left hand opened the way, and his right hands were increasingly finding the Finn’s head. Body shots weakened him as well. “Babyface” came forward like a steamroller and was relentless, although Helenius managed to answer with several hard punches. He lacked the footwork and technique to change the course of the fight. At least, that was how it seemed.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of the fourth round, Adam was caught cleanly by several very powerful right hands. He was seriously hurt, although for a moment the referee thought that “Babyface” had slipped. Helenius kept his composure, sent the Pole to the canvas and, when he got up, launched another combination. The referee stopped the fight.

The shock in Brooklyn became a reality. Polish fans froze in silence, while a saddened Kownacki immediately headed to the dressing room. The winner remained in the ring, having stayed composed for most of the fight. Only afterward did a proud smile appear on his face.

Statistics should not be trusted uncritically, but the picture of the fight presented by Compubox pointed to Kownacki having a clear advantage in every category. Helenius did, however, have a strategic edge: a very powerful single punch and a reach advantage. He patiently made use of it whenever the opportunity arose.

Adam absorbed several truly heavy punches during the first three rounds. In the fourth, he was caught perfectly, dazed and then broken down by a combination. Not even the best statistics could change that.

KOWNACKI – HELENIUS: PUNCH STATISTICS

All punches (body punches in parentheses):
Kownacki – 84 (45) of 224, 37.5 percent landed
Helenius – 49 (10) of 228, 21.5 percent landed

Jabs (body punches in parentheses):
Kownacki – 29 (12) of 90, 32.2 percent landed
Helenius – 13 (3) of 73, 17.8 percent landed

Power punches (body punches in parentheses):
Kownacki – 55 (33) of 134, 41 percent landed
Helenius – 36 (7) of 155, 23.2 percent landed

After the fight, they said:

Adam Kownacki
“The referee thought I slipped in the fourth round, but I was a little dazed. Then Helenius charged at me like a beast and did what I usually do. I wanted to keep fighting, but… That’s boxing. In the heavyweight division, you have to be careful all the time. This is a lesson for me. Fortunately, I’m still handsome and young (laughs). I’ll come back. I want an immediate rematch, even though there isn’t one in the contract. Maybe I should have held him after the knockdown or boxed like Andrzej Gołota. The trainer told me between rounds to double up the jab and not charge in recklessly. You learn from your mistakes. I have to watch this fight. Great fighters come back.”

Robert Helenius
“Kownacki is a tough customer, but hard work paid off. I knew I had hurt him when the referee thought in the fourth round that Adam had slipped. He is a good boxer, and in this fight luck went my way a few times. Now it’s time to go back to my family. It was a time of sacrifice, and now it’s time to celebrate together.”

source: bokser.org