The famous Polish boxer sold the fight? “I am mentally damaged”

There has been a storm since Saturday after the fight at Rocky Boxing Night. In the shadow of the accusations and comments, the personal drama of the European champion is played out. – I am mentally damaged – Rafał Jackiewicz tells us.

Artur Mazur October 04, 2021, 16:25

Press materials / Piotr Duszczyk / boxingphotos.pl / On photo: Rafał Jackiewicz during the Rocky Boxing Night 10 gala

October 2. Koscierzyna. It is here that the Rocky Boxing Night 10 gala, broadcast by Polsat group, takes place. In one of the fights young Kewin Gruchała and the veteran of European rings Rafał “Wojownik” Jackiewicz face off. The former prevails. After the fourth round, Jackiewicz has had enough. In the corner there is a quarrel between him and coach Krzysztof Drzazgowski.

“I don’t want to”

– I don’t feel like it, I’m not leaving anymore – she says to the coach.

– Op … you did this fight, right? – replies Drzazgowski.

Jackiewicz refutes the allegation that he would sell the duel.

– I swear, no. Krzysiek, look at me. I don’t have the strength – he says to the coach.

The referee stops the fight. The furious Drzazgowski throws the bottle against the boards and leaves the ring. The frenzy of the boxing community moves to social media.

“I hate this way of treating sport. Tragedy. You can lose in boxing, but not come for money without preparation” – writes Mateusz Borek on Twitter.

Jackiewicz is deprived of reverence and faith. He does not pretend that he came to Kościerzyna for a paycheck. Boxing is currently his main source of income. Therefore, he artificially extends his career and accepts almost any offer. As long as the money was correct.

– It’s such a job in difficult conditions. But do you think I would fight if I had the money? Not. I would have ended my career long ago, he tells us. – I was supposed to meet Kewin a year and a half ago, but for various reasons, the fight did not take place. Back then I was charged, focused, well prepared, I had a lot to win. Today I am a shadow of myself – he does not hide.

But he rejects the accusations about the fight setup with all firmness. There is no regret to coach Drzazgowski, because – as he claims – he is a crap.

– I was pissed at him and that’s it. It’s not that he wanted to push me to the next round. He accused me of selling the fight. Maybe it was like that, but I didn’t … fight this fight! I swear it. I could have sold it to my rival’s corner because I know many such cases. I really didn’t have the strength and desire anymore. Because I stand in front of the mirror more and more often and say “I don’t feel like it” – says Jackiewicz openly.

Divorce after years

The former European boxing champion claims to have had a terrible time behind him and the worst preparations for a fight in his entire career. In fact, the preparatory cycle did not take place and all my thoughts were focused on personal matters.

– On Saturday, the day of the fight, I had my wedding anniversary. I am getting divorced. We have been living separately for half a year. I am mentally damaged and I myself do not believe what is happening around me. This is all the reason for the poor performance in the ring. Because what is a fight? Ring is just a dessert. The real fight takes place in the preparation stage, when you have peace of mind, because you have order at home, when you feel like dying in training, when you fight yourself to fill the weight limit, when you avoid injuries, when you only have victory in your mind. Then you can talk about a real fight – claims Jackiewicz.

As he recalls, they had been with his wife for 18 years. It was she who took care of everything: life, home, everyday life. He could only concentrate on training and career. The only thing that mattered was sport, the world outside Jackiewicz did not exist.

– I got up, did training, ate dinner, took a nap and went back to the gym. And so for a week, three months, a year, five, thirty years. Now I woke up in a different life. I don’t have to go jogging, I don’t have to go to the gym or the gym. I must nothing. I’m going crazy. I feel like I’m released from prison after 30 years. I have been living alone since March. And I do not know how to live – she lists.

Fight like alcohol therapy

Jackiewicz was under the illusion that Saturday’s fight would be for him not only a financial injection, but also a remedy for his problems.

– I had the option to fight three fights and I wanted to treat it as alcohol therapy. I wanted to train seriously, not to drink, but after this fight I don’t know what to do next. I have to go somewhere to think about myself – he tells us.

Instead of solid training and hectoliters of sweat poured out in the hall, before the performance in Kościerzyna the boxer fell into alcoholic strings. He didn’t recognize himself.

– A week before the fight I got so drunk that I had to be carried by two people. Over the past six months, a police patrol has woken me drunk on a bench in the city center three times. I was driving under the influence of alcohol, which has never happened to me before. I am not hiding it. Let this be a warning to others – he is listing.

Despite this, the boxer was under the illusion that he would show the claw he was known for for years in the ring. The nickname “Warrior” did not come from accident. On Friday, before the duel, he even got a kick, he was full of energy and willingness to change. Everything started to fall apart on the way to the hall. Jackiewicz went out with every second that brought him closer to the duel. The bubble of illusion burst in the cloakroom.

– Everything is back. Suddenly I felt like I didn’t really want to. I enter the locker room, start my warm-up, but completely without conviction. Only one thought in my head: I don’t feel like it. Already on the shields I was telling coach Krzysiek that I didn’t want to. I know it’s stupid, but it is – he says.

Jackiewicz is aware that he is currently fighting the most important battle of his life. More important than those with Jackson Osei Bonsu or Jan Zaveck, whose stake was the EBU champion belt.

– I am no longer fit for boxing, there is no aggression, health and flash in me. I have some ideas for my life, but at the moment I cannot implement them. Most importantly, he is aware of my problems. I just need to sort it all out somehow – he explains.

44-year-old Jackiewicz fought a total of 83 fights in professional boxing. He won 51 matches, lost 29 and tied three. He was the European welterweight category champion. He also won the status of a contender for the IBF world title.

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