1996. Andrew Golota vs Riddick Bowe II

One of boxing's true vicious beatings, even if Golota did it with all the expression of Frankenstein's monster for most of the fight. (As opposed to the obvious snarling hatred and joy in destruction that guys like Tyson and Duran showed in their prime).

Should have been Bowe's last fight. Say what you want about anything else the guy did, but he already went through purgatory in that bout. Still had a champion's heart, even when he'd pissed away everything else that made him a champ and flushed his personal life down a toilet.

Golota is a ****ing nutcase.

On a personal note, I watched it multiple times in the years after it was first fought, marveling at the absolute beatdown that it was and in respect for Bowe's heart, but I haven't done so in years and change the channel if it comes on now. I don't feel any need to watch it again, and I think the first three paragraphs of my post say everything I feel needs to be said about the fight.

 

Wrong (fail!)

Kelly did the 1st fight...Eddie Cotton the 2nd.

:good

 

Golota ended Bowe's career.

 

Classic fight, no doubt. Such a bizarre ending though. TWICE!

 

Eddie Futch would not train him for the rematch.

 

Yes and no. Bowe came back well in the 3rd and put Golota down in the 4th, and he'd occasionally come up one or two big shots in a round, but that doesn't exactly make it a competitive fight. It was still a white washing, and probably should have been stopped a couple of rounds earlier.

Again, I'd say yes and no. Golota did start with the low blows when Bowe was coming back in the 4th, but he also started fouling Bowe earlier, (didn't he do the intentional headbutt in the second round, while Bowe was still barely on his feet and against the ropes?) and he would continue doing other fouls even when he was up. (Rabbit punching Bowe in the same round he put Bowe down for the second time, backhanding him, smearing and rubbing his glove around in Bowe's face, etc).

I think it's not just adversity that makes Golota do weird things, you also have to factor a combination of stress and craziness in there too because Golota's also done weird **** while easily ahead in other fights too where he had no reason to be afraid of losing.

On the other hand Golota was in a bloodbath with Corey Sanders and I don't think he ever resorted to fouls, I think he kept it clean against Ferguson even after Ferguson got penalized for hitting him after the bell, etc.

I think I've heard it said that in Poland Golota is considered a real nutcase. From what I've seen, it wouldn't surprise me.

Small observation: it's weird that in so many of the fights where Golota flipped out, Eddie Cotton was the ref. Against Po'uha, Nicholson, Bowe II, etc.

It's great. I don't know if I'd call it a great fight, but it's a great... something. Demonstration of boxing? Of heart? A kind of mesmerizing brutality? Of greatness and great failings all at once? All of that and more?

 

This fight was really sad to watch. Bowe started camp at 282 and lost 40+ pounds. To see a guy with his skills fight like this was tough to watch. Bowe was physically shot, looping his punches, and missing so much. His timing was gone and his strength was gone after four rounds. Golota just couldnt mentally deal with the fact that Bowe wouldnt fold up, and was still firing back. For all the people that knock Bowe, he had the character to keep fighting, something you dont see in these new fighters. Bowe at his best would have destroyed Golota. Even in this fight, anytime Bowe would land something Golota would look to fall in and foul.

 

To be fair, he had always looped his punches. Particularly the right hand. And even in his prime, Golota would give Bowe a lot of trouble, as he's far better than the slugs (Holyfield aside) that Bowe fought.


Round two of their second fight is one of the best rounds of 90's heavyweight boxing. The 10th of Bowe-Holyfield is better as is one from Cooper-Holyfield, but still. One hell of a round.

 

Checkout Bowe's speech pattern by this time. He was slurring his words by 1996 unlike in 1992 where he spoke regularly.

 

I always thought Golota basically quit in this fight, like he did later on against Grant. Every time he was shaken or tired, he would either butt, low blow, or some other blatant foul to buy himself time. That's fouling out of a fight, as far as I'm concerned.