Andrew Golota, Legendary Polish Boxer, Turns 50 Today

Today, a Polish-born idol of millions celebrates one of the most important birthdays in his life. Retired heavyweight Andrew Golota turns 50 years old. What makes his milestone even more appreciable is that unlike many elite fighters, Golota walked away from the ring on his own terms as one of the most popular Eastern European boxers in history.

Experts who see Andrew Golota at fights these days, especially when Polish boxers are in the ring, will tell you that people still come up to him. He is admired in such a way that it leads one to conclude that he might as well have been the first Polish heavyweight champion of the world.

The final fight of Golota’s long and illustrious boxing career came in 2013, a KO at the hands of countryman Przemyslaw Saleta in an action-packed war. The 6-foot-4-inch Warsaw-born heavyweight bowed out in style, and although other 200-plus-pounders like Kownacki, Wach, and Ugonoh continue to don the country's white and red national colors on their trunks, there is no doubt who the greatest Polish heavyweight that ever laced up a pair of padded gloves is. That would be the native of Warsaw.

A sports legend in Poland, he remains the country's most famous boxer in history. It all began when he won a heavyweight bronze medal as an amateur at the 1988 Seoul Olympics (medaling at the Olympics arguably is the biggest achievement in boxing in today's fragmented landscape). At those Games, Lou Duva got his first look at Golota, who he would later train. Also competing in the boxing events at those Olympics were Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe, and Ray Mercer. Duva later said that while watching that tournament, he believed that among those four outstanding fighters, Golota was the toughest and possessed the best punch. Duva believed Golota would be the one who would become the best professional and star at the top of the sport's totem pole.

Golota became the first Polish boxing superstar as he fought the best in the world, all the while developing a mass following that made him into a cult figure, an influence that spread so rapidly it prompted many Polish youth to take up the sport. The height of Andrew's success and fame came in the mid-late 1990s. By that time, Golota was already a top star in his native country thanks to the Bowe fights which made his stock rise exponentially. Golota soon became the first and only Polish fighter to grace the cover of Ring Magazine, boxing's most prestigious publication. Also, he was the first Pole to appear on the cover of Boxing News and graced the cover of other prestigious publications such as KO Magazine and World Boxing, becoming the first and only Pole to ever appear on the cover of those respective magazines. Other prestigious and leading periodicals in the boxing industry that Golota was featured on on the front cover include Boxing Monthly and International Boxing Digest.

In 1996, Golota became the first Pole to fight on HBO, the network known for its tradition of excellence in showcasing the sport's best talents and biggest fights. He made his debut already as the main event headliner on "Night of the Young Heavyweights" against "Doc" Nicholson, who was training under the great Emanuel Steward at Kronk Gym.

Bowe-Golota I was held on July 11, 1996, in "The Mecca of Boxing," Madison Square Garden. Golota became the first Polish boxer to fight in the latest version of the historic venue. MSG, boxing's holy of holies, also was the site of the biggest achievement of the decorated Polish amateur – fighting Chris Byrd to a 12-round draw. That draw means he achieved the best result in a world heavyweight prizefight among all Polish heavyweights who ever fought for a piece of the division’s crown. Boxing history is divided into multifarious parts, but prior to the mid-1990s, not a single chapter was reserved for being Polish for it was a pedigree that did not resonate in heavyweight history. Golota began changing all of that for he began pioneering a title path in America that was then trekked by future heavy descendants. Polish fans share the same hope as those in western Europe and Latin America. Just as there has never been a Polish heavyweight champion, so too has there never been a French or a Mexican heavyweight titlist, a drought prolonged by current WBC claimant Deontay Wilder, who in recent times denied all three demographic groups a shot at boxing history.

Andrew was among the leaders of the first Eastern European wave of heavyweights and was the face of that movement before the Klitschkos burst onto the scene.

Golota became the first Polish heavyweight to challenge for world title honors in professional boxing's glory division. Prior to the early 90s, athletes in Communist countries, like Poland, were banned from competing in professional sports. Golota emerged as the country's first real star not long after the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, and would soon challenge Hall of Famer Lennox Lewis for a heavyweight title belt, a prize that was once the greatest trophy in sports. Considering that from the beginning boxing in Poland was done only at the amateur level and the collapse of Communism allowed boxers in most Iron Curtain countries to go pro, the historical undertone emanating from Golota even fighting for one of the sporting world's most prestigious titles was monumental. Fighting at this top championship level was a bold political and social statement despite the lopsided loss. The underlying symbolism spoke volumes to those who chose to listen. Impact is in the eye of the beholder, and it depends on the area of the world and its boxing pedigree. So while what Golota achieved may be minuscule in some people's eyes, it is colossal in other peoples'.

Golota's major bouts, held during prime time in the U.S. and televised in Poland in the wee hours of Sunday mornings, have inspired generations upon generations of native fighters and fans. His people extol him for being their first countryman abroad to really make waves in professional boxing, so much so that nearly every male in Poland woke up in the middle of the night to watch their hero step into the ring against boxing's elite. From then on the figure of Golota acquired mythical proportions.

Does receiving a world title opportunity after overcoming a Communist regime equate to actually winning a title? While overcoming Communist rule is certainly overcoming a lot, in theory, it is hard to equate it to winning on the big international stage. From a boxing purist's point of view, anyway. But the truth is what that meant is up to interpretation of the people and what it means to them. The career story of prizefighters from ex-Communist countries transcends the extent of boxing reference and knowledge. Golota, whose story is that of tragedy and great unfulfilled promise, came from a place where boxing was outlawed for at least 45 years. Citizens of this nation have through generations come to know the feeling of being denied the chance at anything significant in all walks of life. Living in Communist times never equated to victory. The socialistic economic system eviscerated citizen privileges for decades. At one point, some Polish citizens likely thought they would never see the end of Communism. Luckily, beginning in 1989, they did. This end was a victory for the nation. By the same token, the same Poles (who are also boxing fans) who gave up hope on freedom only to be reignited during the first free parliamentary elections, can treat Golota's failed title challenge against Lewis as a victory as well. Think about that, Andrew's countrymen never thought they would see the day one of their own athletes is competing in professional gloved prizefighting, let alone see a countryman in heavyweight championship action. For the people of then-Communist Poland, that constitutes victory regardless of how controversial or flawed Golota might be.

The first wave of Russian boxers that made an impact during the 1990s was noteworthy to say the least. They paved the way for the successes of their descendants that we have seen in recent years. When evaluating the boxing pedigree of Poland and Russia at the professional level, Poland's pales in comparison. While both nations burst onto the boxing scene during the 90s, Russia had a surfeit of fistic representatives. But for Poland, only Golota stood out as a prominent fighter (though to be fair, other pros such as Saleta and Piotrowski were trying to make waves) but Andrew was alone in singlehandedly putting his country on the boxing map which suggests that he was ahead of his time and in a league of his own for he did not have fellow counterparts to fall back on. There were not enough Poles fighting on his level yet to form their own wave. The days of Adamek, Wlodarczyk, and Fonfara were yet to come. Since these talented boxers did not come up together, it was a missed opportunity for Poland to have any chance of being considered a nation of fighting glory.

To recap, Golota is recognized as a national boxing icon in his home country for his incredible contribution to the professional game within the borders of his country. Even if the national hero dreams of a different legacy, there are no other fans or people in the world who adore him more than his own people. He has cemented himself atop the all time pound-for-pound summit in the hearts of Poles. With his pugilistic pursuits behind him, he is now able to enjoy a well-deserved retirement following a two-decade span in the ring, and I think that it will take many years for people to fully appreciate his career purview at world level. The earlier something happened, the more we appreciate it as time passes on, and it is no different with retired boxers.

Andrzej, this one is for you. Cheers, and Happy 50th birthday!

 

Why do you say that, sir?

 

Really? You actually believe he beat Ruiz? If I didn’t know any better I’d think you’re busting my chops haha. No but the truth is I respect your opinion as I hope you respect mine. It’s fine you don’t like Golota. I don’t have to like the guys you favor either. We all do not have to like the same fighters and hold the same views. If we did then boxing would be boring.

 

Years later, essentially, we learned that Golota legitimately bailed out early against Tyson. I'm not sure if you know the story behind Golota's departure from the ring, but I'd be happy to fill you in on the facts if you wish.

 

So following his bout with Tyson, it was revealed that Golota was seriously injured. Dr. Wesley Yapor, the neurosurgeon treating Andrew, said the boxer sustained a concussion, a fractured left cheekbone and a herniated disc between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae. "If he had sustained another serious blow to the head, he could have become paralyzed," said Yapor. "There's no way I would have allowed him to enter the ring for the second round." So when Golota said "No Mas" before round three, he felt there was something seriously wrong with his health. He’s a professional with many fights under his belt. We should trust his gut instinct. Aside from that, a fighter’s health always takes priority over continuing a boxing match. And let me remind fans that this time Tyson was the one who broke the rules (headbutted Golota) hence the concussion Andrew suffered.

 

Exactly. But people still call Golota a quitter and a cheap shot without knowing all of the facts. It takes so much to even step into the ring in the first place. Would Golota's critics fight Mike Tyson? I like to ask this question, but the question I prefer to ask people the most is this: "so then Golota, a husband and a father of two children, should have fought on risking paralysis against Tyson?" What would these people say if Golota God forbid became paralyzed? This is how I think about people bashing not only Andrew but any fighter who quit. If a boxer, it's usually for good reason.

 

Thanks for the kind words. Glad you liked reading this piece!