Adamek, Chambers to fight with Klitschko possibly on horizon

Tomasz Adamek (right) beat Nagy Aguilera via unanimous decision on March 24. (Ed Mulholland/US Presswire)

Heavyweight Tomasz Adamek has an opponent for his June 16 date: former heavyweight title challenger Eddie Chambers.

I’ll admit, I was a little wary about who Adamek’s promoter, Main Events, would pick as his opponent. Adamek already had the venue (Prudential Center, where he routinely draw crowds of 10,000-plus) and a TV deal (the fight will air on NBC Sports Network). It would have been easy for Main Events to try to throw Adamek (45-2), who will be just nine months removed from a hellacious beating at the hands of Vitali Klitschko, a softball.

But they didn’t. Chambers (36-2) would not have been my first choice (Odlanier Solis, whose name was in the mix before he signed to face Konstantin Airich next month, was), but he is a lot better than my last (Kevin Johnson, who has not done squat since barking at Vitali Klitschko for 12 lopsided rounds in 2009). Chambers has a pedigree. He has fought just once since getting knocked out by Wladimir Klitschko in 2010 -- a decision win over Derric Rossy -- but before losing to Klitschko he beat former champion Samuel Peter and prospect Alexander Dimitrenko. His only other loss was to alphabet titleholder Alexander Povetkin.

It’s a true crossroads fight. Chambers, who abruptly pulled out of a January fight against Sergey Liakhovich with a rib injury, needs a win to continue his quest for another title shot. So does Adamek. Neither fighter has big knockout power, but both are active punchers, which should make for an entertaining show. The winner will be of great interest to Wladimir Klitschko, who has been scouring the rankings for opponents to face on U.S. soil. The loser will, well, be of interest to very few.

-- Chris Mannix