Adam Kownacki has revealed he may retire even if he defeats Joe Cusumano, in a fight shown live on DAZN tonight.
Kownacki lost to Robert Helenius in 2020, and then in the rematch the following year. In 2022, he suffered his third consecutive defeat, this time to Ali Eren Demirezen.
That has left the 34-year-old Polish fighter contemplating his future and he told DAZN that if he is not able to dominate his opponent on his way to victory this Saturday, he will likely hang up his gloves.
Asked if the heavyweight division allowed fighters to turn their careers around swiftly with a big round, he agreed, saying: “Yeah, for sure. One win, one amazing win. It’s got to look good, I can’t just win, and I’m back in there.”
He explained what kept him coming back to the ring despite struggles, and he revealed he wants to keep his family proud, and also the work done to improve as a fighter.
“I look at my boys and they go, ‘You got three losses!’ So I gotta do this for them, be world champion, so that they know their dad was a world champion,” he said.
“I moved to Miami, settled down there, found a new camp with SugarHill and sparring with Jarrell Miller, Laurence Okolie, Ben Whittaker, quicker stuff.
“[Miller and I] talk to each other because we're in the same situation. He had a little rough patch that happened with him. He's trying to get back and it's good to bounce ideas off each other and try to get better.
“So I cut everything else, training, good sleep, fresh mountain air.”
Asked if this was make-or-break for his career, he confirmed: “I have to, the only option is average win or amazing win. If it's average then OK guys, I had a great career.”