Krzysztof "Diablo" Wodarczyk

O co chodzi z Włod? :huh

He is now fifteen months and counting on the shelf.

A rematch with Drozd was scheduled for May but Włodarczyk withdrew with the flu, clearing the way for his countryman and stablemate Łukasz Janik to step in and have a go at Drozd. Łukasz was dominated and TKO'ed in 9.

For some reason, negotiations between the ex-champ and his conqueror never resumed. In the fall, talks began to brew of Włodarczyk having an important crossroads match with interim WBA cruiserweight titlist (and former IBF and full-fledged WBA light heavyweight champ) Beibut Shumemov. That match was supposed to have taken place today, as it happens, December eighteenth. Again, it didn't work out - Shumenov having sustained an eye injury. There are tentative plans for a rescheduled date in 2016.

Włodarczyk is also supposedly in talks for a jump up to heavyweight to battle Tomasz Adamek in the new year, probably immediately following regardless of the outcome versus Shumenov (as it will be a hugely lucrative event in Poland no matter whether both are coming off losses). This will mean approximately nothing as far as the HW division or either man's legacy is concerned, but could be a revitalizing boon to Poland's boxing scene, and just a damn enjoyable fight at the end of the day.

I just don't get why it has gone this long without so much as hopping between the ropes for a tuneup. Big fights do fall through, shit happens - but the former WBC 200lb champ is 34 years old and on borrowed time already (many thought he was shot following his poor showing in Palacios I, around which time he was depressed and stated he was seriously considering retirement). He can't really afford major stretches of inactivity, especially if his plan is to jump right back into the deep end with the big names...and climbing up in weight a division or two, no less. :-(

 

I actually think Shumenov is the more difficult assignment for him. I see him losing a close decision to Beibut and possibly taking a close decision against Goral (who is now 39 and only had spurts of looking his old self against Szpilka...with his form against the ancient Saleta pretty much a non-consideration given that Saleta is half decomposed)

 

Whoa, really? Shumenov has only AFAIK been down twice - a flash knockdown scored early by Uzelkov, and then in the championship frames against Hopkins (more to do with fatigue).

I think his chin's excellent - and he's much slicker and harder to hit than, say, Chakhkiev or Green. Whence are you getting the idea Włod stops him?

 

Don't forget, though, he went 1-1 against Campillo whether you're going by official results or unofficially.

Shumenov actually deserved but didn't get the nod in Kazakhstan in the rare case of anti-home cooking. Most people didn't see that and only saw the rematch in Vegas, where it was Campillo on the bad end of a wrong decision, so that's what everybody talks about.

They should be 1-1, just with the results of each match flipped.

 

Adamek would have to inherently mean a jump to HW, no?

No way Goral makes cruiser.

 

I agree there was a wider disparity but any way you tally it their rivalry should be considered tied. (kind of like how most consider Barrera vs. Morales I & II crisscrossed in terms of the official and widely accepted results)

Shame they never had a rubbermatch.