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By Richard Pierson
Introducing a new feature for BoxingInsider.com readers – the Official Blog of Middleweight boxer Richard Pierson, respected boxer utilized by Tomasz Adamek for sparring and speed work, and named by Kelly Pavlik as a future Middleweight champion.
Pierson, despite formerly mediocre representation, is one of boxing’s best kept secrets who has size, speed, skills, intelligence and charisma. We are fortunate that he will share his views in the coming months on numerous and wide range of issues related to the sport of prizefighting. This week’s introduction column from Richard Pierson will focus on his perspective and observations at the Adamek-Grant press conference, memories of sparring wtih Adamek, the fight itself, and his take on the current heavyweight landscpape…
Richard, did you see or sense anything today at the press conference from either Grant or Adamek that may influence your prediction? Please talk about your experiences sparring with Adamek and what kind of character/person he is? Can you share any insights about Adamek?
Richard Pierson writes: I remember when I was a young boy growing up the only sports I ever heard about was football, basketball, baseball and boxing, and my friends and family could have sat for hours talking about the teams – even all the players – or debate about which heavyweight fighter was the best. Back then it seemed as if it only meant something if you were heavy weight champ. It made the lighter weight classes look like the undercard of an amateur show unless the fighter’s name was as big as a heavyweight. But all that has faded away, we have lost our “Real Deal” Holyfields, our “Iron” Mike Tysons, the Listons and Rocky. Now we have the Klitschko brothers who are over-powering the division without any excitement, drama or passion. The crowd is sleeping before their opponents are, the heavyweight division has become so empty, forgettable and very close to extinction, that the only time we hear about “heavy” “weights” is in the gym bench pressing and curling iron.
But luckily we have a fighter like Tomasz Adamek, who has jumped weight classes putting on extra pounds to show the world what and how a heavyweight boxer performs. Unlike the Klitschko brothers, Adamek brings it all to the table – the love, the passion, the guts and glory, as you will see Saturday August 21 when he faces the bigger Michael Grant live in Newark, NJ at The Prudential Center. I haven’t seen Grant fight in years and I would be unreal if I say he doesn’t has a chance to win, with his reach, size and power.
He is also the natural heavyweight, he has a lot in his favor – except the one thing that he doesn’t have and Adamek does and that’s the will to win. He has what Holyfield had going up in weight – the heart of a “Warrior.” As I sat listening and watching at the press conference on Wednesday at Global Gym in North Bergen, NJ, it seemed as if Michael’s confidence wasn’t as high as Adamek’s. Maybe Michael’s confidence was on the roof of the Empire State Building but Adamek’s confidence was sipping tasting the water out of The Big Dipper. I believe Tomasz has the skill to beat the big and rusty Grant and I’m not saying this because I sparred six rounds with him a couple years ago. I’m saying it because it’s boxing and its a match made in heaven. It’s a good fight for Adamek to show the world he has the skill, power and speed to beat a big heavyweight and open the doors to an Adamek vs any Klitschko. The match-maker deserves a round of applause and a bonus from the promoters for this show.
These are the views of Paterson, NJ’s Richard Pierson (9-2, 6 KO’s), Former ESPN televised boxer, Future Middleweight & People’s Champion of the World and Current BoxingInsider.com Blogger. Richard Pierson will be providing his views, perspectives and opinions on life in the turbulent world of professional boxing, exclusively to BoxingInsider.com readers. Contact Richard Pierson via Facebook.
