On Saturday night in Wroclaw, Poland, WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko (43-2, 40 knockouts) defeated Polish challenger Tomasz Adamek (44-2, 28 knockouts). This was Klitschko's 9th successful title defense. The referee, Massimo Barrovecchio, wisely stopped the slaughter with 41 seconds remaining in the 10th round.
For most of the fight, Klitschko held his hands low and stayed in center ring, lancing jab after jab into Ademek's face, often following with crushing straight rights and right uppercuts that sent the very game Adamek across the ring. Adamek suffered a knockdown in the sixth when he was nailed by a Klitschko right and only the ropes saved him from hitting the canvas. The same happened in the second round, but the referee failed to credit Klitschko with a knockdown.
The size differential between Klitschko (6'7 ½", 242 lbs) and Adamek (6'1", 216 lbs.) recalled the historic 1919 contest between Jess Willard (6'6 ½") and Jack Dempsey (6'1"), with one significant difference. The winner Dempsey was, of course, a pulverizing puncher, whereas the former light-heavyweight and cruiserweight king, Adamek, is tough and skilled, but far from a first rate banger.
At 40, Klitschko, who is always in fighting fettle, boasts the best knockout ratio of any heavyweight in history. Only 3 of his 43 victories have come by way of a decision. Klitschko looks clumsy. But in this case looks can be very deceiving. Gloves at his side, "Dr. Ironfist" fights in an almost crab-like style, calmly sliding forward and back, launching his potent jab from both low and high until his foe is almost hypnotized, and then comes the brain numbing right hand.
Throughout the contest, which, despite Adamek's courage, really was no contest, it was often noted that Klitschko has not lost a round in the near 80 rounds that he has fought since he won the title in 2004. It is hard to think of a more dominant heavyweight in boxing history.