Boxer Tomasz Adamek to stand in European elections

Tomasz Adamek: photo - flikr.com/slawek john & mel kots

"I want to defend the rights of the family, because we can see what is happening in our country and in Europe. The world has gone crazy and we need to fix it," the 37-year-old former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion told the ultra-conservative Radio Maryja.

Based in New Jersey in the United States for much of his professional boxing career, Adamek suffered a shock defeat to Ukrainian Vyacheslav Glazkov on 15 March, losing his IBF North America Heavyweight title in the process and any hope of fighting again for the world heavyweight championship.

"No athlete's career lasts forever and as I approach the end of my adventure with boxing, I'm 37, I'm healthy, I have a wife and two daughters, so I have to start something new," Adamek said.

"In interviews I have repeatedly joked that I might enter politics. Well, this time it's no joke. I got an offer from Solidarna Polska after being in contact with [party leader] Zbigniew Ziobro for some time," he added.

Solidarna Polska (Umnited Poland) was formed in 2012 as an off-shoot of Poland's largest opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) by former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro.

The party opposes same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia, wants a 'fat cat' tax on the super rich and currently has four MEPs in the European Parliament. (pg)