If you’re expecting 12 rounds tonight between Adam Kownacki (19-0, 15 KOs) and Chris Arreola (38-5-1, 33 KOs) at the Barclay Center – don’t.
Brooklyn native Kownacki isn’t here to disappoint his city by losing but he’s planning to make this a quick brawl in tonight’s heavyweight fight. The 30-year old boxer is looking for a knockout against what he calls a “desperate boxer”.
“We’re both looking for a knockout, so there is definitely going to be a lot of heavyweight haymakers being thrown. It’s not one of us trying to get the finish, it’s both of us trying to get the finish,” Kownacki said.
Not only is he looking for a knockout, he’s aiming to finish Arreola earlier than heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder (42-0-1, 40 KOs) did back in 2016.
“I know it took Wilder seven or eight rounds. So if I do it in half the time, I’ll be happy. Especially with somebody tough like Chris Arreola.”
Besides beating his time, Kownacki is looking to fight Wilder soon. Coincidentally, Wilder will be at the fight not just to frighten Kownacki, but to watch his brother Marsellos’ matchup against Nicoy Clarke, and to broadcast with Lennox Lewis and Kenny Albert on FOX PBC FIGHT NIGHT.
If Kownacki gets the KO, Arreola swore he would retire since it would be his sixth loss and being a 38-year old boxer.
“No disrespect to anybody, no disrespect to Adam because I think he’s a great fighter,” Arreola said, “but personally, man, if I lose there’s no reason forme to be in the sport of boxing.”
Take a look at the full press conference between Kownacki and Arreola on the next page.