A big event needs a big name, and when it comes to KSW, they don’t come much bigger than Mariusz Pudzianowski.
The former five-time World’s Strongest Man and longtime KSW heavyweight attraction will return to action on June 3 at the PGE Norodowy in Warsaw for KSW Colosseum 2.
The event, which looks set to play out to another massive crowd, will see Pudzianowski take on former WBC heavyweight boxing title challenger Artus Szpilka in a matchup that should capture the imagination of Polish fight fans.
Szpilka compiled a record of 20 wins, one loss before challenging Deontay Wilder for the WBC heavyweight championship in 2016. More recently, he swapped boxing gloves for the four-ounce MMA gloves of KSW, and picked up a TKO victory on his debut at KSW in June 2022.
Now at 2-0, Szpilka will face the intimidating challenge of Pudzianowski, who is looking to bounce back to winning ways after his first-round TKO loss to fellow KSW legend Mamed Khalidov at KSW 77 in December 2022.
Prior to that defeat, Pudzianowski had racked up a five-fight win streak, with all five wins coming via knockout. The 46-year-old appeared poised for a possible title fight with long-reigning heavyweight champion Phil De Fries before his form was derailed by Khalidov. With challengers to De Fries’ throne beginning to run dry, “Pudzian” could potentially put himself right in the frame with an emphatic win on June 3.
The bout is the first confirmed matchup for the card, which will bid to outdo the promotion’s spectacular first “Colosseum” show at KSW 39 in May 2017, where 57,766 fans packed the national stadium in Warsaw to watch an action-packed event.