Vassiliy Jirov vs. Tomasz Adamek

That is true, I just see Adamek being just a hair better. I agree with the above poster who said that out of a trilogy, it would likely be 2-1 in one favor or the other or 1-1-1.

 

I'd take Adamek. I think he was a bit bigger, hit a bit harder, and was just a bit better.

I think he'd come out and find Jirov easy to hit with right hands early, Jirov would get to the body in the middle rounds and make it very close, and Adamek, in typical Adamek fashion, starts letting it fly to shade the back nine en route to a 115-113 victory.

I can see Adamek scoring the flash knockdown in this match up if one occurs, too, which tipped me over the edge.

Great fight, great war, and it'd probably be a trilogy.

 

jesus christ I can imagine 2-1 to either of them in a trilogy. WARS. I'm a big fan of both. Of course Adamek never had someone attacking his body like Jirov would. but Adamek is a tough tough guy with good skills. I'd favor Jirov if you want one or the other. both are old school fighters

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I can't find that guy's channel on youtube anymore who had a bunch of Jirov's fights like Dale Brown, Arthur Williams, Saul Montana. Awesome fights.

 

I don't think there's much to suggest Adamek hits harder than Jirov. Adamek was the more textbook and sharp with his straight right. The knockdowns against Cunningham were sharp, short right hands that landed right on the button. Jirov looks like he throws slapping shots (similar to how Adamek looks when he's throwing flurries), but his slapping shots looked and sounded like they hurt. In my opnion, Adamek was faster and more accurate with placing his short shots on the chin or wherever, but didn't hit harder. Adamek definitely knew how to deliver that straight right to the jaw though that's for sure.

Take a look at the first couple of punches Jirov throws against Toney in the first round. you can hear the thud on all of them. When Toney lands they are sharp straight punches but they don't look like the kind of heavy shots you get when Jirov lands. or at least that's the feeling I get. (starts at 7:05)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWkSiV5guRM

To compare Adamek and Jirov to similar looking opponents:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2Zp-EWbjI0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nDGBmukHA8

Adamek has the boxing approach whereas Jirov has the attack the body and destroy approach, but you still see a difference in power.

Here Jirov stops McGroom with one well placed left to the body. McGroom went 10 rounds with James Toney in a close fight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn-g8DbAxGE

it's actually hard to say who had more power, whether you count delivery/accuracy and speed, but in terms of raw power it goes to Jirov.

that's the way I see it

 

I see what your saying, but I'd rather be hit hard then hit sharp.

Adamek's right hand is the more dangerous weapon. I am totally comfortable calling him the flash KD threat in the fight. I think he was faster and more accurate, too.

There is a reason Toney was never really in trouble against Jirov, and managed to stagger Vassily several times before dropping him, and that is sharp, short right hands. I think that'd be Adamek's edge.

 

Power - Jirov dropped 230lb Mesi 3 times. Mesi had fought Cooper, Barret, Williamson, Izon, Gonzalez and had a solid HW chin. The first KD was from one solid shot and Mesi was down and seriously hurt. The fact that he carried his power up to HW demonstrates to me that he's the harder puncher. Jirov weighed 209 at the offical weigh in but HBO did pre-fight weights and he was 203. He drank tons of water before the fight to be as heavy as possible.

Adamek was not a swarmer or volume puncher at CW like he was at LHW. He was a boxer/puncher or stalking counter puncher (like against USS or Banks who were always on the backfoot) who threw about 50 punches per round. Jirov's pressure, volume and crowding would make it near impossible for Tomasz to fight the way he did at CW.

Adamek needs more time to operate when trying to box and be more responsible, that wouldn't happen against Jirov whose iron will would force Adamek to either trade and go to war or get rolled over. When Adamek gets into a fire fight like at LHW vs Briggs his defense is pretty terrible. Jirov wins it imo.

Jirov could box too although he rarely showed it as a pro. He outboxed Troy Ross at the 96 Olympics and also beat Tarver and Julio Gonzalez on his way to being a Val Barker winner. In the Brown and Castro fights you see him use some of his skills rather than war mode 100% of the time.

 

Yeah because Toney has an ATG chin that held up from MW - HW against 240-250lb punchers like Rahman, Peter and Ruiz. Acting like that's a knock against Jirov's power isn't very factual imo.

 

Jirov was downright EVIL in his prime. And he had a subtler game than given credit for. I think he tatoos Adamek before scorin a stoppage sometime after the ninth.

 

I loved Jirov. Great SP style with great body punching, active as hell. I'll probably throw money on Jirov if I was a betting man. His activity and bodyshots would pull it out for him as Adamek tends to get a bit cute at times and stays inactive.