Tee em up, and let em go.
Heavyweights Adam Kownacki and Chris Arreola went to war Saturday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
After 12 rounds and of give and take action, Kownacki was judged the winner by scores of 118-110, and 117-111 (twice).
As expected, the fight started fast. Kownacki (20-0, 15 KOs) landed a big right hand. Arreola took it well and fired back. Kownacki casually walked forward like a man in a park. Arreola jabbed, while Kownack went to the body. Arreola connected with a left hook. Both fighters were landing. Kownacki had the edge, but Arreola was there and representing himself.
In round two, the rumble continued. Kownacki wouldn’t let Arreola breath. Arreola didn’t seem to mind. He fired back. Kownacki landed a wicked combination. His work rate was consistent. Arreola was countering. Kownacki went to the body and head.
Kownacki,30, looked like the stronger fighter entering round three. He connected with a couple of uppercuts that hurt Arreola. Arreola was investing to the body. Kownacki laced Arreola with more rights hands. The blow basically couldn’t miss.
In round four, Arreola,38, fired a right hand. Kownacki didn’t blink. He went to work. Arreola likes his left hook. He unleashed it to the head and body. Kownacki moved his attack up and down. Arreola (38-6, 33 KOs) appeared to win his first round. Arreola was more active in the first minute of round five. Kownacki looked a little tired. His punches had lost some zip. But still he worked. Arreola connected with a couple of sneaky rights at the bell.
Kownacki cracked Arreola with a big right in round six. Had he found his second wind? He unloaded some more. Arreola fired back, but Kownacki was busier. The doctor checked Arreola before round seven commenced.
The fighters went to battle in the center of the ring. Kownacki banged on the inside. His volume punching was more consistent. Arreola, with an injured left hand, kept fighting back, but he was still eating a number of head blows.
Kownacki continued to get off first in round eight. His right went to the head and body. Arreola was applying pressure, but he wasn’t punching enough. Kownacki let fly with another combination. Arreola fought back in the last minute of the heat. He connected, but Kownacki was doing better. Kownacki forced Arreola into the ropes in round nine and unloaded.
Was Arreola hurt? It didn’t seem so, but he would soon have to knock out Kownacki to win.
The action slowed some more in round 10. Arreola tried to land something to slow Kownacki down. Kownacki absorbed whatever Arreola landed and fought back.
With two rounds to go, Kownacki was significantly ahead on this writer’s scorecard. Arreola came out throwing punches in round 11. He dug to the body and let his hands go. He was rallying while Kownacki looked gassed.
Arreola came out firing in the 12th and final round. He connected with two clubbing right hooks. Arreola connected with an uppercut and left. Kownacki fired back as his fans screamed. Arreola stung Kownacki with lefts and rights.
“I thought it was a good fight,” said Kownacki. “I thought I landed more punches. Chris is a warrior.”
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