Adam Kownacki desperately needed a feel-good moment. With three consecutive defeats, the once highly touted prospect appeared to be a shot fighter, one that needed a reboot. Joe Cusumano was viewed as Kownacki’s panacea.
This past weekend, at the Hulu Theater in New York’s Madison Square Garden, both big men squared off in the co-main event on the night.
The storyline was written in bold and obvious ink. The moment Kownacki landed a huge right hand, Cusumano was expected to crumble down to the mat with his eyes rolling to the back of his head. The fringe contender, however, grabbed that written script and shredded it.
Cusumano (22-4, 20 KOs) bullied Kownacki, pushed him around the ring, and forced his fans to bury their faces into their hands. After forcing a corner stoppage in the eighth, Cusumano immediately began looking ahead. Considering his age, time isn’t exactly on his side. So, with that said, the longtime journeyman is hoping to simply lace up his gloves against some of the division’s best in his next outing.
“I am 35,” said Cusumano to AB Boxing News. “So I want the biggest fights out there. I think it’s time.”
If Cusumano wants an opportunity, he won’t have to look far in order to find one. Currently, the land of the big men has several notable names that are looking for a fight. But whether it’s Anthony Joshua, the division’s former kingpin, or perennial contenders such as Joseph Parker, Dereck Chisora, and Kubrat Pulev – fighters who are begging for a ring return, Cusumano won’t be too picky. The most important thing to the suddenly surging contender who scored three consecutive victories since his shortcomings against Daniel Dubois, is to simply face an upper-echelon heavyweight whom he can display his skills against.
“I just want the biggest opportunity.”