It’s been said that America has always been the land of opportunity.
There’s no bigger example of that than three Polish immigrants who settled in Jersey City and managed to make major successes in their lives, using the sport of boxing as the avenue that ties the three together today.
Ziggy Rozalski was the first to emigrate from Poland and settle in Jersey City in the early 1980s. He soon became a successful auto body repair business owner who eventually opened a gym in downtown Jersey City and became a major player in the sport of professional boxing, forming his own group aptly dubbed Ziggy Promotions.
Mariusz “Mark” Kolodziej was the next to settle in Jersey City, relying on the assistance of his friend Rozalski.
“People called me the son of Ziggy,” Kolodziej said. “He was like my unofficial daddy. When I came to this country, Ziggy was the one who taught me about the business world. I have a lot of respect for him.”
Kolodziej’s father was a baker in Poland and he wanted to stay in the same field in his new land, so he started the Hudson Bread Company in 1994 in New York, eventually providing the upscale bread to most New York hotels and restaurants. Nine years later, he moved his base of operations to North Bergen and eventually set up another bakery in Cherry Hill.
In between, an aspiring Polish boxer named Tomasz Adamek contacted Rozalski and hoped for a chance to come to the United States, because it was the only place where Adamek could earn the bigger paydays. Adamek moved to Jersey City, where he was taken care of by Rozalski.
A few years ago, Kolodziej expanded his North Bergen business by including a place to sell his bread to the general public and a spot for customers to sit and enjoy his products called Breadman Café, also located right next to Hudson Bread on Tonnelle Avenue.
Last year, Kolodziej continued his business ascent. He opened the Global Boxing Gym, which is attached to the Breadman Café. He also got involved in the boxing game, sponsoring all of Adamek’s fights in the Prudential Center in Newark, as Adamek made his way up the boxing ranks. Kolodziej also began to sponsor aspiring fighters as well.
“This is my passion and my hobby,” Kolodziej said. “I don’t golf like most people. I tried martial arts and liked it. Boxing is an extension of what I like to do.”
And for the last year or so, Kolodziej’s business has been the location for all of the press conferences promoting the upcoming fight cards at the Prudential Center, especially those involving Adamek, who has become one of the top ranked boxers in the heavyweight division and has fought at “The Rock” five times.
So on Tuesday, when time came to promote Adamek’s latest venture, an Aug. 21 fight against former heavyweight contender Michael Grant, Kolodziej opened the doors of his business once again to host the press conference.
With that, members of the media converged once again on North Bergen, which is quickly becoming the local boxing capital.
It once owned the limelight in the 1930s when James J. Braddock, a.k.a. “The Cinderella Man,” won the world heavyweight title in shocking fashion. North Bergen owned a place of local prominence in the 1960s and 1970s, when pro boxing cards were held at the old Embassy Hall. It came back to life a few years ago, when boxing nights returned to Schuetzen Park and was helped when resident Carlos Tamara won the IBF junior flyweight world championship earlier this year.
Now, Global Boxing has helped Kolodziej earn a spot on the boxing map, along with his Polish comrades and friends Rozalski and Adamek.
“We’re trying to rejuvenate the sport,” Kolodziej said. “We want to help, not only with this gym, but to help other boxers. I would love to help bring more Polish boxers to the [United] States. We want to be able to help develop other boxers.”
One of Kolodziej’s protégés is another Polish native and heavyweight – Adam Kownacki, who is undefeated in four fights and will fight on the Adamek-Grant undercard next month. It’s a card that will be televised on pay-per-view – Adamek’s first-ever foray into the pay-per-view venue.
Adamek, who now has an impressive 41-1 professional record, knows that this fight with Grant is a crucial one, especially if he wants to continue to pursue the eventual dream of becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.
“For me, it’s a good test,” Adamek said. “I’m close to getting that heavyweight title fight, so I need to test myself with a tough guy like Michael Grant. He has bigger size and longer reach. I’m really looking forward to this fight. I’m very happy to be fighting back home. I’m training hard and in good shape. I’m learning more new things every day.”
One of the biggest improvements Adamek has made is with the English language. Two years ago, when he was first interviewed as an aspiring cruiserweight, he could barely speak a word. Tuesday, he was handling the questions and answers extremely well, with only little assistance from Kolodziej as an interpreter.
“I’m speaking English a little bit more every day,” Adamek said. “Every day, I get a new English lesson from Roger [Bloodworth, Adamek’s trainer].”
“It’s a very important fight for Tomasz,” said Bloodworth, who joined forces with Adamek last year. “He’s fighting a man in Grant who has been on the big stage before. Having seen Grant fight, he presents a potentially big problem with his size (6-7 and 255 pounds). He has a long reach and a good right hand. We’re not taking him lightly.”
Grant was once the No. 1-ranked heavyweight contender who lost to Lennox Lewis for the undisputed heavyweight title in 2002 and has an 8-0 record since he made a comeback in 2004. The 37-year-old Grant owns a 46-3 career record.
Adamek isn’t worried about not getting a title fight yet. He is being patient, biding his time, knowing that he needs a win over Grant to get the consideration necessary.
“We’re looking toward this fight right now,” Adamek said. “My mind is on August 21. Once August 22 or 23 comes around, I can think of getting a title fight. This is a very important fight for me. My goal is to become the heavyweight champion and I should get a chance. The boss is HBO. If they want to bring me the money, I’m ready. We have a plan right now and that’s August 21. After that, who knows? But you have to win every fight if you want a title fight. And I can fight anyone. I’m ready. I’m never afraid.”
When Adamek gets that shot, then he will truly be living the American dream, much like his fellow natives of Poland, guys like Rozalski and Kolodziej who have already experienced that dream many years ago. Those three are the faces, the identities of big-time boxing, right here in Hudson County.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.