BROOKLYN, NY — Polish-born Brooklyn heavyweight Adam “Babyface” Kownacki upped his perfect record to 20-0, 15KO, earning a hard-fought twelve round unanimous decision against former three-time world title challenger Chris “The Nightmare” Arreola (38-6-1, 33KO) in the main event of a FOX broadcast from the Barclays Center. Judges scores were 118-110 and 117-111 for Kownacki.
The fight was fought at a frantic pace for two big men who tipped the scales at a combined 510¼ pounds (Kownacki, 266¼ & Arreola 244). Combined, the two sluggers threw 2,172 punches, landing 667 of them, both CompuBox records for the heavyweight division.
Kownacki, 30, wasted no time forcing the action, as he came off his stool firing in the bout’s opening round firing loaded shots that immediately had Arreola retreating. The 6’3” Pole continued to stalk Arreola, who tried to jab his way out of harm’s way. Once that task proved too difficult, Arreola made adjustments, and in the ensuing rounds the 38 year-old Californian began to smother Kownacki, continuously leaning on him and forcing the fight in-close.
From round two through twelve, the fight would be fought in-tight, which certainly wore on each fighter as they seemingly gassed midway through each round.
Kownacki seemingly landed at will and was more creative with his punches than Arreola, who possibly broke his right hand in the third round. The Pole, who is trained by Keith Trimble, varied his offense, threw uppercuts, short left hooks, and right crosses around Arreola’s guard.
Arreola’s successes came courtesy of his straight right, which he consistently landed, but perhaps without his usual power.
Credit Arreola, who after fading in the late-middle rounds, dug deep and fought well in the championship rounds, winning both of them on judge Lou Moret’s scorecard, as well as 15Rounds.com’s. 15Rounds scored the fight 115-113, Kownacki.
Tonight marked the seventh time in Kownacki’s last eight fights that he’s fought in front his red and white clad supporters (8,790 of them tonight) at the Barclays Center, which routinely turns into “Little Warsaw” on fight nights.
Kownacki now adds Arreola’s name to a list along with Artur Szpilka and Gerald Washington as former title challengers he holds wins over. Kownacki’s resume also sports a win over former IBF World Champion Charles Martin.
Arreola, in preparation for his fight versus Kownacki, parted ways with longtime trainer Henry Ramirez and linked up with legendary offense-first trainer Joe Goossen. Ramirez, who still maintains a close relationship with Arreola, was still present in Arreola’s corner tonight.
With the win, Kownacki takes another step forward in his quest to become the first Polish born heavyweight champion and positions him nicely to get a crack at WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder.
“I thought it was a good close fight but I knew I pulled it out. I landed a lot of shots and that was enough to win,” Kownacki said afterward.
“I tried to follow up when I had him hurt but I was throwing two punches instead of three or four,” he added. “I just have to keep training hard, getting better and sharpening my skills. We’ll see what the future holds. Hopefully next year I’ll get the title shot.”
Post-fight, Arreola credited Kownacki’s ever-charging approach.
“”Adam is relentless. He just keeps coming. I know I got him with some good punches and he got me with some good ones. I was more than ready to go all 12, but Adam came in and won the fight.”
On whether or not tonight was the last time we’ll see Arreola in the ring, he said, “Retirement is something I need to talk to my family and team about. I gave it my all this fight. I let it all hang out.”
In another stunning upset from the Barclays Center, Jean Pascal (37-6-1, 20KO) turned back the clock and sent “Sir” Marcus Browne (23-1, 16KO) to the canvas three times en route to an eight round technical decision victory (75-74×3) to capture Browne’s interim WBA World LIghtweight title.
Things started according to plan for the former 2012 Olympian Browne, who in the early goings used his height and reach advantage to keep the bull-rushing Pascal at bay. The first two rounds saw the Staten Island southpaw constantly popped his jab and punished the shorter Pascal each time the Quebecer leapt forward to land a charging blow.
In the third Browne became more assertive and started to open up. Midway through the round, a Browne left seemed to momentarily stun Pascal, who had his back against the ropes. Browne then uncorked two violent right hooks, to the head and body that former champ somehow absorbed.
The momentum and complexion of the fight changed suddenly the following round, however, when both fighters landed simultaneous right hands, Browne – a right hook, Pascall – a right cross. It was the former champion Pascal’s cross, though, that exploded upon impact and sent the previously-unbeaten Browne thudding to the mat. Foggy and dazed, Browne beat referee Gary Rosato’s ten count, but then had to figure out how to survive the remaining 1:40 seconds of the round. He did so by clinching at every opportunity until he heard the ding of the bell.
Between rounds four and five, Browne cleared the cobwebs and came out of his corner on steady legs, making a continuous and conscious effort to score to his 36 year-old counterpart’s body.
Similar to the fifth, the sixth likely belonged to Browne, who again kept digging shots to Pascal’s body.
The Canadian roared back in the seventh, though, landing another explosive right cross that sent Browne violently to the mat for the second time. A wobbly Browne beat Rosato’s ensuing ten count, but was sent back to the canvas shortly after when Pascal clipped him with a short right as the round neared end.
Midway through an eighth round that was all-Pascal, the two clashed heads that resulted in a nasty gash over Browne’s left eye. Rosato called a stop to the action and called for ringside physician Dr. Nitin Sethi to exam the cut. Upon doing so, he advised Rosato to halt the contest, which he did at the 1:49 mark of the round.
At the end of seven-plus, all three judges scored the fight 75-74 for Pascal. Browne won all rounds where he remained on his feet.
“Boxing is boxing,” Pascal said afterward. “We clashed heads, but at the end of the day, I was winning the round. I dropped him three times. It was a close fight, but I believe I was winning.
It was a retro performance from Pascal, who many believed his best days were in the rearview. Late last year Pascal came up short against current WBA World Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol.
Tonight was the first title defense for Browne since winning his title in January when he outpointed a a crimson-faced Badou Jack.
Omotoso Stops Stevens Inside 3 In Jr. Middleweight Firefight
In the first of three fights broadcast live on FOX, Nigerian junior middleweight Wale “Lucky Boy” Omotoso (28-4, 22KO) scored three knockdowns en route to a third round TKO against former world title challenger Curtis “Cerebral Assassin” Stevens (30-7, 22KO) in a contest originally slated for ten.
It was a brief, albeit exciting firefight between the two 34 year-old sluggers, with both fighters willing to eat a shot to land one. But it was Omotoso’s punch resistance — or better yet, Stevens’ lack thereof — that made the difference in the ring.
Omotoso scored his first knockdown — of the flash variety — midway through the first round courtesy of a right hand that landed behind Stevens’ left ear.
The following round, Omotoso again sent Stevens to the canvas, courtesy of a stiff jab that came at the end of an exchange.
In the third round, Stevens tried to turn the tide and came off his stool and charged toward Omotoso, letting his hands fly. The Brooklyn-native backed Omotoso into a neutral corner and started peppering him short hooks and crosses. Omotoso responded quickly though, firing off his own hooks and crosses thwart Stevens’ offensive surge.
As the two circled the ring and neared the opposite neutral corner, Omotoso uncorked a textbook one-two that caught Stevens on the chin, sending him back to the mat. A blurry-eyed Stevens beat referee Johnny Callas’ ten count, but failed to convince him he was able to continue.
The result marked the fourth time Stevens has been stopped inside the distance. Perhaps most memorable was his vicious KO loss against David Lemeiux in 2017.
“I was just letting my hands go. On the second knockdown my confidence grew,” Omotoso said. “I was glad to get the victory by knockout.
“I didn’t expect it to go exactly like that. I was just listening to my coach,” he continued. “The second knockdown was actually with my jab.
Stevens also spoke after the fight. “He hit me with an overhand right in the first round that knocked my equilibrium,” he said. “But that didn’t really affect me too much. I wasn’t stepping enough into my punches, i was reaching. I got caught when I was reaching.”
Brian Howard Viciously KOs Carlos Negron In One
Atlanta heavyweight Brian Howard (15-3, 12KO) needed just 66 seconds to bulldoze past 6’6” Puerto Rican Carlos Negron (20-3, 16KO) and score the biggest win of his career.
A Howard right hurt Negron about thirty seconds into the bout, and from that moment on, it was bombs away for the 39 year-old veteran. Howard was relentless, offering Negron no relief, forcing him into perpetual retreat.
After a few more Howard punches landed through Negron’s shoddy guard, referee Shada Murdaugh took a close look, seemingly ready to stop the fight. The very next Howard right took that decision out of Murdaugh’s hands, however, as it landed flush on the side of Negron’s head, sending the big Puerto Rican crashing hard to the mat and almost out of the ring. The fight was immediately waved off at the 1:06 mark of the first round.
It was the second straight fight Negron was KO’d. He suffered the same fight in December courtesy of two-time world title challenger Dominic Brazeale in this same arena in December.
Jones TKOs Sosa, Hands Him First Taste of Defeat
In a shocking upset, welterweight Brian “Sweet” Jones (15-10, 9KO) scored a seventh round TKO over previously unbeaten Julian Sosa (13-1-1, 5KO).
Sosa looked to be in control through the first three-plus rounds of the fight, but a Jones three-punch combo midway through the fourth flipped the script. The aforementioned combo sent Sosa crashing to the mat, dazed and confused. The 23 year-old Brooklynite beat referee Earl Brown’s ten count and was able to hang on to see the next round.
In the fifth, Jones stepped on the gas and immediately walked a still-fuzzy Sosa into a neutral counter where he began to let his hands go. Sosa bent forward and put a glove to the mat to catch his balance, resulting in a second knockdown.
The fight ended shortly thereafter, at the 2:28 mark of the 5th, when Brown jumped between fighters to stop any more of Jones’ unobstructed punches from reaching Sosa’s head.
It should be noted that Sosa’s trainer and father Aureliano Sosa was not present in his son’s corner tonight. Over the past few years, Aureliano Sosa has amassed a skilled stable of blue-chip New York prospects including Richardson Hitchins and Chris Colbert. For tonight’s fight, however, with the elder Sosa absent, it was the undefeated 22 year-old lightweight, Colbert, operating as the corner’s chief second.
The result marked the first time the 32 year-old Jones has won at the Barclays Center in three tries.
Marsellus Wilder Redeems Himself In Brooklyn, UDs Nicoy Clarke
Cruiserweight Marsellus Wilder (5-1, 2KO), the younger brother of WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder, slugged his way past Jamaican Nicoy Clarke (2-4) en route to a four round unanimous decision victory (40-36×2, 39-37).
Various times throughout the fight, the 30 year-old Wilder had Clarke in trouble, but was never able to close the show. The hard-nosed Clarke weathered all storms and had brief moments of success, but not enough to rack up rounds.
Tonight marked the first time Wilder fought at the Barclays Center since being KO’d by journeyman William Deets late in the fourth round of a four round fight he was comfortably winning. That KO remains his only loss.
Helen Joseph Cruises To 6-Round Shutout Over Edina Kiss
Connecticut’s Helen “Iron Lady” Joseph upped her record to 16-3-2, 10KO, earning a six round unanimous decision (60-53×3) against Hungary’s Edina “DNA” Kiss (15-11, 9KO) in a super bantamweight affair.
It was all Joseph from bell to bell. The 30 year-old Nigerian forced the action, pressed forward, and had Kiss uncomfortably fighting off her back foot round after round.
Joseph scored a knockdown in the second courtesy of a looping right that forced Kiss down to a knee.
The 29 year-old Kiss’ remains winless on American soil, having now dropped all eight of her US contests.
Unbeaten Kestna Davis Scores 4-Round UD Over Winless Jaime Meza
New Jersey’s Kestna “Hardball” Davis (4-0) dusted off two years of ring rust to score a four round unanimous decision (40-36×3) over fellow junior middleweight Jaime Meza (0-3).
The 24 year-old Jamaican-born southpaw, Davis, used his height and reach advantage to score the more impactful punches during their twelve minute affair.
Davis’ three prior pro fights all came in 2017.
Cobia Breedy Remains Unbeaten, Scores 10-Round UD Over Ryan Lee Allen
In the night’s second contest, Maryland featherweight Cobia “Soldier” Breedy (14-0, 4KO) out-landed Michigan’s Ryan Lee Allen (9-4-1, 4KO) en route to a ten round unanimous decision (99-91×2, 97-93).
It wasn’t a buttoned-up performance by Breedy, as the wide scorecards might suggest. Allen was able to touch Breedy all fight, but was unable to land anything of significance.
Make no mistake though, it was Breedy who was better on the night. The 27 year-old Barbados-born boxer kept punches coming round after round and continually bested his counterpart.
Arnold Gonzalez Opens Night With 4 Round UD Over De Los Santos
In his hometown debut, welterweight Arnold Gonzalez ran his record to a perfect 2-0, decisioning Texan Jeremiah De Los Santos (0-4) in a four round contest that opened an eleven bout card from the Barclays Center. Scores were 40-36 across the board.
Although born and bred in NYC, the former Manny Pacquiao sparring partner, Gonzalez, hones his craft on the west coast, fighting under the watchful eye of the Wild Card Boxing Club’s Julian Chua.
The marathon fight night concludes with a FOX triple header beginning at 8EST, anchored by a battle of big men when heavyweight contenders Adam Kownacki and Chris Arreola meet in a contest that’s scheduled for — but probably won’t go — twelve rounds.
