Szpilka: I'll be the first Polish heavyweight champion
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
14.01.2016 13:13
Boxer Artur Szpilka has said his forthcoming New York showdown with Deontay Wilder will see him emerge as the first ever Polish heavyweight champion.
Artur Szpilka. Photo: Facebook/Artur Szpilka
The two are due to go into the ring for the WBC clash at the Barclays Center, Brooklyn, on Saturday night.
“Until now, he hasn't had many obstacles in his path,” Szpilka said of his rival.
“I'll be the first to defeat him.
“And the fact that he has a strong punch mobilized me even more during training.”
Although several Polish boxers have had success on the international stage in recent years, none has managed to become a heavyweight champion.
Andrzej Gołota had several shots at the title, but he never pulled it off. Fighters such as Tomasz Adamek and Mariusz Wach likewise missed out.
Bald bruiser Szpilka, who hails from Wieliczka, southern Poland, has won 20 out of his 21 professional fights to date. He lost to American Bryant Jennings in January 2015. (nh/pk)