Tomasz Adamek

Biography

Tomasz "Tomek" Adamek, born on December 1, 1976, in Zywiec, Poland, is a retired professional boxer with a distinguished career from 1999 to 2018. Adamek earned world championship titles in two weight classes, including the WBC light heavyweight title from 2005 to 2007 and the IBF, as well as The Ring magazine cruiserweight titles between 2008 and 2009. Additionally, he held the IBO cruiserweight title in 2007 and made a bid for the WBC heavyweight title in 2011. Adamek is celebrated as the first Polish boxer to win The Ring title and is ranked by BoxRec as the third greatest Polish boxer of all time, pound for pound.

Adamek's professional debut was a victorious TKO against Israel Khumalo in Manchester, England, on March 13, 1999. His fierce and relentless fighting style quickly made him a fan favourite. In 2005, Adamek clinched the WBC light heavyweight title by defeating Paul Briggs in a majority decision noted for its brutality and the sheer determination of both fighters. Adamek successfully defended this title against Thomas Ulrich and in a rematch against Briggs, with the latter described as one of the most memorable 24 rounds in boxing history by commentator Jim Lampley.

After his first professional loss to Chad Dawson in 2007, where Adamek experienced his first career knockdown, he moved to the cruiserweight division. Here, Adamek achieved notable victories against Luis Andres Pineda and Josip Jalusic. His victory over O'Neil Bell in 2008 positioned him for a title eliminator, which he won, setting the stage for his IBF and lineal cruiserweight title win against Steve Cunningham in a fight considered by many as the fight of the year.

Adamek vacated his cruiserweight titles in 2009 to compete in the heavyweight division, marking his debut with a win against Andrew Golota. He continued to rack up victories against Chris Arreola and Michael Grant. In 2011, he even ventured into a bout against WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, although he was defeated in the 10th round.

Following the loss to Klitschko, Adamek remained active, securing wins against opponents like Nagy Aguilera, Eddie Chambers, and Travis Walker. However, his later career was marked by challenging bouts, including a controversial split decision win over Steve Cunningham in their rematch and a unanimous decision loss to Vyacheslav Glazkov.

Adamek's final professional fight took place in 2018 against heavyweight contender Jarell Miller, where he was stopped in the second round. In 2024, Adamek stepped back into the spotlight for an exhibition bout against Mamed Khalidov in a mixed martial arts cage, demonstrating his enduring appeal and the respect he commands in the combat sports community.

Throughout his career, Adamek was known for his resilience, power, and ability to captivate boxing fans worldwide. His transition through multiple weight classes and success at each level solidify his legacy as one of Poland's finest boxers and a respected figure in the sport's history.