I think a motivated Golota could do very well against guys like Jack Johnson, Jack Sharkey, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Patterson, Ali, Norton, Ellis, Holmes, Bowe - as we already saw. The killer punchers are another story IMO. Guys like Jeffries, Dempsey, Louis, Marciano, Liston, Frazier, Foreman, a prime Witherspoon, even someone like Frank Bruno who was a decent boxer and heavy puncher would be dangerous. Ron Lyle and Shavers would be bad matchups because they could punch very hard. But Golota could also outbox them or even knock them out. Remember, Golota is strong as an ox and bigger and heavier than those guys. I don't have to go into Tyson and Lennox Lewis. The Klitschkos would both be too much for Golota to handle also IMO.
I think Golota would be 50-50 to beat Moorer in his prime. I don't think he could have beaten a prime Holyfield. The comebacking Foreman would have knocked Golota out I believe. Tommy Morrison would be pick-em like Moorer.
Moorer and Morrison get beaten from corner to corner in brutal fasion, save for the first 3 rounds. Holy stops him late.
I think he could have given most all time greats hell on a given day but I think some would always have cleaned his clock prety convincingly. I dont know if he would ever have been competitive against Lewis for example.
No he wouldnt be. Prime versions of Ali, Tyson, Foreman, Holmes, and Liston would all **** any version of Golota.
tyson also ? tua also ? michael grant ? mccline ? the klitschkos ? here is one fighter that joe louis would have beaten.
I have my doubts. The obvious first question to ask is would he ever have been competitive against Lewis or a prime Tyson?
Golota was a mental case who could be caught cold but at times displayed great boxing ability. His response to hitting Bowe below the belt in two successive fights: "The son of a ***** wasn't going down."
Bowe was definitely his best effort and a great one, but i think this is telling. Bowe isnt going to blow out any all time great heavyweight. IN fact i dont think that he even has that much of a punchers chance to knock them out. Bowe is lauded as a superheavyweight and one of the most skilled ever and perhaps this is correct. But, due to his poor punching technique (personally i dont see how an arm puncher can be skilled but anyway) he has little power in his punches. This is why he simply couldnt finish Bowe off with his arm punches, despite constantly beating Bowe to the punch. Look at Bowes record. He simply did not beat any world class heavys by KO. Plenty of KOs in his first fights, until he met the lower level world class (top 30?) journeyman Marion Wilson. He went the distance. More KOs against local level fighters until he met Bowe. Despite dominating, he couldnt break the world class chin of Bowe's, twice. He was KOd by lewis, again a world class level chin (although of little relevance), The next world class fighters were Corey Sanders, the ancient Tim Witherspoon, lower level contender Jesse Ferguson. He couldnt KO any. Next came the world class solid contender but some say china chinned Michael grant. He lost in the 10th, even though he knocked him down in the first he still couldnt finish him off. After ko some more club level fighters, Golota couldnt stop Ruiz or Byrd two smaller but world class fighters and chins. After the Lamotta loss, we then have Golotas two best KO wins in Bates and McBride. To be honest, i struggle to call these two world class fighters despite McBrides win over the ancient Tyson. All in all, Golota does not have any power to stop fighters at the world class level, much less the all time great level. Two all time great fighters he met (Lewis and Tyson totally dominated him). The third Bowe, did have problems but Bowe himself was past his best by this time, and it shouldnt be forgotten that Golota didnt have the power to beat Bowe. In answer to the question, I think that Golota's size, style and possible even speed (for his size) when he was in his prime does possess a challenge for all time greats, but none moreso than most of their best opposition (even those criticised for not fighting decent opposition). So i think that i would have to say no, he does not pose much of a risk to ATGs, particularly if he doesnt have a punchers chance.
Golota didn't have a great punch but he did undoubtedly have boxing skills. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Amhjb5j7U[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGOdfmfqIFQ[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo9gjpR2o2s[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2aU3dkjSy8[/ame] [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnQ4R0i_OYg[/ame]