NEWARK, N.J— Middleweight prospect Vito Mielnicki Jr. delivered a poised and disciplined performance Saturday night, earning a commanding 10-round unanimous decision victory over Poland’s Kamil Gardzielik at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Fighting in front of a hometown crowd, the 23-year-old Roseland native improved his record to 21-1-1 (12 KOs) with judges scoring the bout 100–89 across the board. Mielnicki controlled the action from the start, dropping Gardzielik (19–1, 4 KOs) in the second round with a crisp right hand after the Polish fighter briefly switched to a southpaw stance.
Instead of rushing in for the finish, Mielnicki stayed composed, sticking to a tactical approach that emphasized his jab and clean combination work. He methodically mixed in sharp right hands, sneaky left uppercuts, and body hooks, staying in command for all 10 rounds.
“I’m really happy with the way I fought tonight,” Mielnicki said post-fight. “The key was sticking to the game plan—even after I hurt him early. In the past, I might have gotten too eager. This time, I stayed sharp.”
He credited his jab and timing for the dominant showing. “We wanted to establish a stiff jab and use it to break him down. It worked. His face was swelling early, and we landed the double right hand we drilled all camp.”
For Mielnicki, headlining at the Prudential Center fulfilled a longtime dream. “I feel blessed. I used to imagine this moment as a kid—fighting here, in the main event, in front of my people. This means everything.
