Seven rounds into the April 19 fight pitting Poland's Tomasz Adamek versus Jamaican-bred O'Neil Bell, the latter's corner threw in the towel giving Adamek the TKO victory. Adamek, the current IBO cruiserweight champion, took advantage with an early knockdown and skillful counterpunching.
Adamek has bounced back after the lone loss on his record – an upset at the hands of Chad Dawson in 2007 – with a victory to become IBO cruiserweight champion, a successful defense and this most recent success in an IBF eliminator. Adamek's next fight is likely to be a title shot at current IBF cruiserweight champion Steve Cunningham.
Adamek picked up the gloves at the age of 12 in his hometown of Zywiec, Poland. Turning pro in 1999, he burned through 31 wins over 7 years, including 21 knockouts. On March 2, 2001, he won the IBC Inter-C ontinental light heavyweight title by unanimous decision over Rudi Lupo in Warsaw, Poland. By the end of 2002, he added the Polish International light heavyweight title with a 3rd round TKO of Laverne Clark in Kozienice, Poland. One year later, he knocked out Ed Dalton in the second round to win the vacant IBF Inter-Continental light heavyweight title.
In a rare bout outside of Poland, Adamek knocked out Gabrail Gabrailov in the fifth round to win the vacant WBO Inter-Continental light heavyweight title in Mariehamn, Finland. Adamek's first professional fight in the United States saw him win the vacant WBC light heavyweight title by decision against Paul Briggs, followed by successful defenses in Germany and the U.S. before his loss to Dawson by unanimous decision February 3, 2007.
Adamek recovered and jumped up to cruiserweight to defeat Luis Pineda for the vacant IBO cruiserweight title in June of last year and appears to be back to his winning ways. Adamek's leap into the cruiserweight ranks has bolstered the division with excitement for potential matchups.
