by Johnny Walker

Polish warrior Tomasz “Goral” Adamek came back from the brink today to score an impressive stoppage win over Travis “Freight Train” Walker at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

After a quiet first round, Walker took the initiative in round two, crashing a big right hand into Adamek’s face that sent the Polish hero to his seat on the canvas. Walker tried to follow up and landed some more huge shots that caused Adamek’s legs to buckle, but somehow the woozy “Goral” stayed on his feet. Walker totally expended himself and then near the end of the round, Adamek caught him coming in with a right hand, and it was Walker’s turn to hit the canvas.

From round three on, Adamek calmed down and established control over the fight. Adamek rocked Walker with a series of hard right hands in the last minute of round four, and it appeared “Freight Train” was worse for the wear as the round ended.

Early in round five, Adamek stunned Walker with a right-left combination, and then followed up with a wild flurry that left Walker bleeding and out on his feet in the corner. Referee Eddie Cotton waved off the action at 1:08 of round five, and Tomasz Adamek had secured perhaps his biggest win since the ex-cruiserweight king entered the heavyweight division.

Had Adamek (47-2, 29 KOs) lost, his heavyweight odyssey would have been in deep trouble, but as it turned out, Adamek proved he could get off the canvas and stop a bigger, more powerful–if less skilled–heavyweight opponent.

Where Adamek goes next is anyone’s guess, but a fight with WBA “regular” heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin is one tantalizing possibility.

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