Top heavyweight contender Tomasz Adamek of Poland successfully defended his IBF International Heavyweight championship when he stopped Vinny Maddalone in the fifth round on Thursday.
Adamek (43-1, 28 knockouts) dominated the fight from the outset, but he put the challenger away with a series of hard punches in the fifth round. He floored Maddalone (33-7) with a hard left uppercut, but Maddalone survived the count and got to his feet.
But sensing Maddalone was in trouble, Adamek kept the pressure on and unleashed a host of undefended punches with both hands that forced Maddalone's corner to signal to referee Steve Smoger to stop the fight at the 2:17 mark of the fifth round.
''I have more balance now and I can throw that punch,'' Adamek said of the left hook that floored Maddalone. ''I felt he was going down, but he got back up. I thought maybe I could hit him a few more times and he would go down again. I watched the referee and then they stopped it.''
The win enabled the native him to continue his quest toward a possible heavyweight championship fight against either of the Klitschko brothers, Vitaly or Vladimir, who both own a share of the world heavyweight crown.
''I'm very happy with it,'' Adamek said. ''I fought four times this year and won all four. I feel I'm very close now to a title fight. I am ready.''
Adamek, who trains in Jersey City, was in control from the outset against the underdog Maddalone, a former professional baseball player and bar owner from Queens, New York.
Adamek utilized a persistent left jab to score at will over the first three rounds. In the fourth round, Adamek severely hurt Maddalone with 16 uncontested punches with both hands, staggering Maddalone across the ring. However, the game Maddalone survived the round and fought on.
But Maddalone could not survive the fifth-round flurry, especially after hitting the canvas.
''He has really quick hands,'' Maddalone said. ''I was surprised with how quick his hands were. He caught me with that left hook and I never saw that punch coming. That's what happens when you don't see it. He hit me with about a thousand jabs. It wasn't just one punch. It takes a toll on you. It was a boxer against a puncher and I kept waiting for that punch. He just outboxed me.''
On the undercard, undefeated American welterweight Sadam Ali won a unanimous decision over Manuel Guzman of Puerto Rico, to improve to 11-0. Ali won all eight rounds on all three cards.
Also, promising Polish middleweight Patrick Majewski won via knockout at 1:20 of the eighth round against Eddie Caminero of the United States. Majewski improved to 14-0 and won despite having a nasty cut over his left eye since the second round.
