Tomasz Adamek tells The Star-Ledger of Newark that he didn't want to fly in a small plane in cold weather with snow on the ground.
The IBF world heavyweight champion lives in Jersey City and had flown before with the plane's owner, Jacek Mazurek.
Investigators are trying to figure out why the plane crashed at Monmouth Executive Airport just minutes after it took off Monday.
Mazurek, another New Jersey man and family friends from Poland, including two boys, died in the wreck.
The boxer says his friend's death gives him an empty heart.
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Information from: The Star-Ledger, http://www.nj.com/starledger