Kownacki finally the main event at Barclays

Brooklyn heavyweight can soar into spotlight with win over Arreola

July 25, 2019 JT Torenli

Brooklyn resident Adam Kownacki (left) hopes to win his first-ever main event bout at Barclays Center on Aug. 3, when he takes on perennial title contender Chris Arreola in the headline bout. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Undefeated yet mostly unknown outside of our fair borough, Brooklyn resident and rising heavyweight contender Adam Kownacki will get his moment in the spotlight Aug. 3 at Downtown’s Barclays Center.

The Polish-porn pugilist will step into the squared circle on the corners of Atlantic and Flatbush avenues for the ninth time in his career and third time within the last calendar year when he takes on perennial title challenger Chris Arreola.

The only difference in this bout for Kownacki (19-0) is that he will be the card’s headliner, an honor he has waited almost a decade for since winning his professional debut over Carossee Auponte at the Police Athletic League Gymnasium in Yonkers, N.Y., way back on Oct. 30, 2009.

“I’m excited to be back in the ring and back at home in Barclays Center,” said the 30-year-old Kownacki, who posted a unanimous decision victory over Charles Martin here last September before scoring a second-round technical knockout of Gerald Washington at Barclays on Jan. 26.

With a perfect 8-0 mark in Brooklyn, where he has lived since his family moved to Greenpoint from Lomza, Poland when he was only seven years old, Kownacki knows that this is an opportunity he must capitalize on if he hopes to get a big-time showdown with one of the world’s top heavyweights.

“Fighting Chris Arreola will be another step on my journey to become a world champion,” he noted.

“It will be a Polish-Mexican war that will bring fireworks to Brooklyn. Make sure you’re there in Brooklyn or watching in primetime!”

The fight card, which will be televised nationally on Fox PBC Fight Night and Fox Deportes, should rock the arena from opening to closing bell.

But instead of tuning up the crowd for the main event as he has had to do traditionally at Barclays, Kownacki is now the fighter most of the expected capacity crowd is coming to see.

And if he can get past Arreola, who has fought and lost to the likes of reigning titleholder Deontay Wilder and former champ Vitali Klitschko, Kownacki will more than likely get his first real shot at a heavyweight belt in 2020.

“All eyes are on boxing’s heavyweight division, and I am thrilled to welcome Brooklyn’s own contender Adam Kownacki back to our ring for his first time as the headliner,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment Global.

“Adam has built an enthusiastic fan base in the borough, and I am confident they will be out in full force to support him as he takes on veteran Chris Arreola to earn a title shot in the near future. It will be yet another heavyweight night to remember in Brooklyn.”

Kownacki has won via knockout in 15 of his first 19 bouts, including five of the last six, all but one of which have taken place at Barclays, which continues to emerge as one of the biggest non-Vegas-based boxing venues in the world.

Arreola (38-5-1, 33 KOs) is no stranger to the main event.

The 38-year-old Los Angeles native of Mexican descent has been fighting for boxing’s biggest title since Kownacki was just getting his feet wet in the pro ranks.

He suffered his fifth career loss to Klitschko in a bid for the WBC belt back in September of 2009, and more recently was stopped by Wilder in his attempt to attain the same title in 2016.

Chris Arreola (left) was beaten badly by heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder in Alabama three years ago, a loss he hopes to continue shaking off when he meets Brooklyn’s-own Adam Kownacki at Downtown’s Barclays Center on Aug. 3.(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

The ring veteran has won his last two bouts, including a third-round TKO of Jean-Pierre Augustin in Texas back in March.

So, the Aug. 3 showdown with Kownacki will serve as a re-proving ground of sorts for the savvy but heavy puncher, who has 33 career knockouts on his resume. It will also be his Barclays and Brooklyn debut.

“I can’t wait to step into the ring on August 3 and show everyone I’m still one of the best heavyweights in the world,” said Arreola.

“I feel rejuvenated and ready to upset Adam Kownacki in front of his fans. He better be ready, because I’m going to bring it to him like he’s never seen before. This is going to be a war and I will leave with my hand raised.”

Kownacki can’t afford that result, not with his legion of Polish-American fans filling Barclays to the gills and especially not with a potential world title matchup hanging in the balance.

“Brooklyn’s Polish star Adam Kownacki has become a fan-favorite in his hometown and is surely in for a challenge from the always exciting Chris Arreola, as he looks to make a heavyweight statement,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions.

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Over in Coney Island, Brooklyn third baseman Jose Peroza capped a five-run, first-inning outburst with a two-run homer Wednesday night at MCU Park, sparking the Cyclones to a 9-2 rout of visiting Tri-City in front of 4,108 fans along Surf Avenue.

Peroza finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and Mitch Ragan, the Mets’ 15th-round pick out of Creighton University in last month’s MLB Draft, tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to pick up his first professional win.

Brooklyn (21-16) remained two games behind first-place Aberdeen in the McNamara Division as it readied for Thursday night’s series finale vs. the ValleyCats.