Again: Robert Helenius beats up Adam Kownacki in rematch

In any worthwhile activity, confidence is everything. Sometimes it’s tested and requires rebuilding to get back at least some of it.

Adam Kownacki was riding high seven months ago when he faced Robert Helenius. His team was talking heavyweight title shot. One more win was all they needed.

One more.

Not on this night.

Helenius stopped Kownacki in four. Kownacki asked for a rematch which went down last night in Las Vegas.

Helenius was the polar opposite of Kownacki. His big win in fight one had given him a new belief in his abilities. The six-foot-seven-inch fighting man from Sweden was sure about the rematch. Kownacki entered the ring favored to win the sequel. His loss had been considered a fluke by many.

But after getting rocked in the opening stanza, it was obvious that his confidence, obviously still brittle after his first career defeat, was brittle.

Helenius won by disqualification over Kownacki though the fight looked like it was on the verge of being stopped. Helenius dominated from the opening bell, peppering Kownacki with jabs and hooks.

Kownacki hung in, but by the end of the bout, he was a beaten fighter.

Helenius landed an uppercut second into the bout. The blow bothered Kownacki – who moved but without a belief. He landed a body shot, but Helenius hurt him again with a solid combination.

In round two, Helenius clobbered Kownacki with a right. Kownacki fired back. Helenius wobbled but was soon back in control. Kownacki’s left eye looked bad - major swelling around his left eye. Helenius boxed well in round three. His long jab landed numerous times. Kownacki’s defense has always been suspect. His left eye was almost shut.

The gutsy Kownacki came out with more purpose in round four. He worked the body. Helenius fought back – landing an uppercut. Seconds later a thudding hook to the gut.

Helenius connected with a hard right to the jaw in round five. Kownacki tried to fight back. Helenius couldn’t miss with his right. He unloaded on Kownacki with thirty seconds to go in the round. Kownacki, blinking, wobbled, and stumbled. The ringside doctor took a look at Kownacki’s eye. Helenius went back to work in round six.

Referee Celestino Ruiz, who had taken a point from Kownacki for low blows earlier, disqualified him after one more shot to the groin.

Fini.

Kownacki exited the ring in tears.

His career and confidence in tatters.