Adam Kownacki Has Slimmer Body, Fury’s Trainer

Adam Kownacki looked skinny when he took off his shirt at the Thursday presser ahead of his Saturday battle versus Juiseppe Cusumano at the Madison Square Garden Theater in NYC, on a Matchroom/DAZN show.

OK, not SKINNY, but for him, yes, almost svelte.

The heavyweight tango, which will not go the distance, supports the Edgar Berlanga Matchroom debut.

On Friday, the Polish-born New Yorker, who now makes Miami, Florida his home, weighed 251 pounds.

June 23, 2023; New York, NY, USA; Adam Kownacki steps on the scale to weigh in for his fight taking place on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.

I had to ask; bro, how’d you get so skinny?

“Miami, Florida,” the 34 year old boxer, a promotional free agent, told me. “The weather does a lot.”

How Did Adam Kownacki Get Here?

He’d lost three straight, two to Robert Helenius (in 2020, and 2021)  and then to Ali Demirizen (in 2022).

Adam Kownacki said he sure did ponder hanging up the gloves.

He visited Poland, pondered his life, how much if any more time would he want to give pro boxing as a participant.

He came back to the US and had one epiphany…The weather on the East Coast sucks.

“The weather did a number on me,” he said to understanding ears, I’m a life-long East Coast guy who hates giving up four months to the cold and lack of sun.

Losing to Demirezen helped Kownacki see he needed to change some elements, including the prevailing weather in his home region. In short, the Florida heat stokes his furnace efficiently

Miami Heat and Lifestyle Motivate Kownacki Differently

Since February 2022, Kownacki, his wife and two sons (now 4 and 2) have made Miami home. He says it suits them, and him.

After the three losses, Adam Kownacki said he did comprehend that he’d been too scattered, on outside the ring life stuff, and would need to burrow down and live boxing more, if he was to proceed. Nice turn of fate, when he got the lay of the land in Miami, he heard that SugarHill Steward was nearby. “We clicked.” They made acquaintance, and yes, Tyson Fury’s trainer will be cornering AK in Minnesota.

The Polish American who holds wins over Spilka, Charles Martin and Gerald Washington, told me he’s pretty much Miami for life.

It’s a bit like NY, he said, with the vibrancy, and the focus on looking good, fit, is a good reminder to the fighter.

Adam Kownacki States Up Front He Needs To Dazzle

Off the three losses, he’s not hedging his bets, telling us to wait and see how he feels and looks.

Kownacki was asked the aim on Saturday. “Gotta win and look amazing,” he said. “I want to fight the best.”

Yes, he says, in so many words, he’s rejuvenated.

Steward has him moving more, believe it or not, and we should see some new wrinkles at the MSG Theater versus Cusumano.

June 23, 2023; New York City, NY: Sugarhill Steward nearby as Kownacki poses after weighing in ahead of the Matchroom Boxing card on Saturday, June 24th at The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom.

The big lad weighed 251 today, and he knew that the last time he’d been this light for this long for a fight came back in 2017 (July 15, 2017), coincidentally or not his career best win versus Artur Szpilka (KO4 win).

No doubt, he said, he’d been on the fence about soldiering on. But, he said, he still thinks he’s a better fighter than Robert Helenius and Demirezen, and wants to prove.

Yes, he says, it’s plausible that he can and will show the public peak-Kownacki moving forward.

The best to come? “One hundred percent, like wine,” Adam Kownacki said.

On Saturday, Cusumano will be there, in front of him, coming forward. He’s been stopped once, in 25 pro outings.

Cusumano speaks at the final press conference for the Matchroom Boxing card taking place on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. Daniel Dubois stopped him TKO1 in 2021. Credit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom

Adam Kownacki is a free agent, not signed to PBC any more, not signed to Matchroom, this is a one off.

Or maybe not. I asked if he’d sign with Hearn if/when he beat Cusumano, and Kownacki said that’s manager talk, he just wants to think Cusumano.

There will be a sea of red tee shirts announcing rooting allegiance in the Theater, Kownacki finished. He’s not being shy about it, he wants to give them a great showing and springboard heels into a meaningful higher level fight. Hearn does business with and on behalf of a few of them, right?