If not for the mental lapses, just how good could Golota have been?

A prime Golota, even with zero brains, would have mutilated Valuev. You need to take a look at that Bowe fight once more. Golota had infinitly more skill than Valuev.

 

That's not saying much...Chuck Wepner had infinitely more skill than Valuev.

 

Most of what you say is accurate except for the speed part. Golota was not a slow puncher and Lewis was not necessarily a faster puncher. More powerful, yes. But not faster. They were about equal in that department.

 

Okay, that's you're opinion. I don't agree. Golota did not have particularly fast hands. I never said he had slow hands. But they weren't even close to Lewis's.

 

I've been following heavyweights long before Golota. Ever since I saw his performance against Bowe I couldn't believe my eyes. Just about every time I make a comment about his greatness I always get called a hugger and get hate posts from haters and Brits.

I said it before I'll say it again... 1996 Golota could have competitively fought any man from any era.

I said this before and I will say it again, Golota is a mental case.

 

Ya never know with "crazy driven and hungry"

 

No response to my Twilight Zone reference? Alright.

"A prime Golota, even with zero brains" as you say, would be a vegetable. Anybody can beat up an invalid.

I could keep this up all day. Instead, I'll give you my honest opinion. Golota was a big, skilled man. I truly feel bad for him that he could never capitalize on his great talent due to his... eccentric behavior. Imagining Golota without the mental meltdowns is like picturing a leopard without its spots. It's a different beast altogether.

 

Klitschko fanatics are amongst a small group of people that tend to discredit Andrew. Bowe fought Golota just 5 months after fighting Holyfield. Yes, Bowe did underestimate Golota. But in the second fight he came in at the best shape of his life, only for Golota to send "the baddest man on the planet" into retirement, with nutsack and brain damage.

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Golota floored Grant in the 1st round like nothing. It was Andrew that exposed Grant. The ref could have stopped the fight right there as Grant never recoverd. For the remainder of the fight Grant did not even know where he was until Golota got stupid, got caught, and then got stupid again.

Watch Lewis-Grant and how Lewis was holding and hitting Grant. That was just bull****. I'm no Grant fan but I picked up on it right away.

 

Golota is an interesting character, but didn't have any ATG attributes from my POV. Very good at everything, but lacking any outstanding attributes (power, defense, chin, speed etc)

 

What a load of shite. Watch the Bowe fights again. It is the exact opposite of that you're claiming.

 

He could have been too good. Golota had size, height, reach, speed, good chin, decent power, decent defense, experience(Olympic Bronze medalist) and skill. Too bad his mentality was terrible. Sadly he's a perfect example of how this sport is all about mentality, you can have all the tools in the world but if you don't have the mentality then all of that goes out the window. With his skill he could have beaten Tyson back then and at least give Lewis a hell of a fight before losing. If only he decided to wait on Tyson and try to outlast him he could have taken this, he already proved he can handle his power early yet still insisted on acting like a fool.

 

Gotta love it when fanatics try to deflect legitimate criticism by labeling others fanatics. Clearly, you are a big Golota fan. I was too. But like the rest of the thinking boxing world, I have come to the conclusion that Golota was a skilled heavy who met Bowe at the right time but didn't quite have what it took to be a top heavyweight. And no, it wasn't just mental. Golota was not a huge puncher, he did not have a particularly good chin, and his hands were only fast against a faded Riddick Bowe.