The True Legacy of Andrew Golota

I meant that Max Schmeling's reign as a world champion was short-lived, not Schmeling as a fighter overall. I do think it is a stretch to state that Golota was a nobody in comparison to Schmeling and to say that Golota was nothing. Actually, both heavyweights should be respected because one had a very profound impact on boxing in Poland while the other a great impact on the sport in Germany. Today's Polish and German boxing stars in the pros owe a little to Golota and Schmeling, respectively.

 

I will list three reasons why I disagree that Golota is lost in time in comparison: first, in 2016 he was invited to participate in the International Boxing Hall of Fame Weekend in Canastota, NY (if Andrew and his feats were so overlooked or weak then he never would have gone to have his fist cast in a setting filled with boxing greats); second, this past November, Golota was inducted into the Illinois Boxing Hall of Fame as one of many accomplished individuals who contributed a great deal to the boxing scene in that state, a distinction which Oliver McCall is yet to receive (yes, you said it's easy to have an impact in terms of region, but the Pole has only been retired for a few years and already he is receiving these kinds of accolades – a few decades from now, his accomplishments may become recognized on a national level and beyond); lastly, as I already pointed out, he was named the Polish Athlete of the past quarter century (that's saying a whole lot for someone who never won a world championship because Golota edged such famous countrymen as Adam Malysz, Anita Wlodarczyk, Robert Lewandowski, among others).

Last but not least, you cite longevity. Golota also had this pedigree as he was a perennial ranked contender for the better part of a decade and was widely viewed as an A-level talent during that time. His career spanned a total of 21 years.

 

In no way did I mean anything racial by my post. I simply stated that Andrew Golota was the first white professional boxer who began to break the hegemony of dominant black heavyweights. Black heavyweights dominated most eras of the heavyweight division throughout boxing history and because I feel Golota was the first to show convincing talent for a white boxer against a black boxer, I stated facts about the fighters' skin color. That's it. I did not demean or put down either racial background. I am sorry that this was your impression. It was completely false. I am just stating my opinions and beliefs here on this boxing forum. If we do not agree about a particular topic, then that's okay. We don't always have to agree on everything.

 

Good question. I would say Sam Colonna indeed. Lou Duva and Al Certo were a little too temperamental to work with Andrew, a man who at times was known for being a little temperamental himself. To me, that's a wildfire combination of trainer and fighter. Golota did better with the calmer, soft-spoken Colonna. His record under Colonna was undefeated leading into the Ruiz fight (the pair was together for Andrew's first 21-22 bouts, then reunited in 2003 when Andrew launched another comeback three years removed from facing Tyson). Sam and Andy always got along and never argued as far as I know. Interestingly, Janusz Gortat, Golota's first trainer in Poland, remarked in an interview that the heavyweight needed a certain kind of trainer who knew how to break through to his personality. Gortat also criticized Golota's trainers in America. But with that I disagree because the Colonna-Golota partnership was a good one at least. IMO the tandem won a portion of the heavyweight title against Byrd and/or Ruiz but were robbed by the judges. But that's the business. That's boxing. Unfair fight verdicts happen very often.

 

Golota held his own for most of those first two rounds. That knockdown at the end of round one didn't frazzle Golota because he got right back up. After the fight, Andrew even said that it was more of a slip than a knockdown.

 

Bowe retired because Golota beat him into retirement and "Big Daddy" had no choice. Golota ended his career.

And Andrew lost to Tyson in the same manner as he lost to Lennox? How? Lewis-Golota lasted 95 seconds, Tyson-Golota lasted two rounds and Golota was doing a decent job in there.

 

Did nothing? Allow for a little lesson in boxing history. Here are Golota's noteworthy achievements:
1. Bronze Medal – Olympic Games
2. Bronze Medal – European Championships
3. Became Poland's first star in professional boxing putting the nation on the global boxing map
4. Became the first Pole to ever challenge for a heavyweight world title in the pro ranks following 45 years of communist subjugation in trying to become the first Pole to hold a piece of the crown shared by Ali, Louis, Marciano and some of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport
5. Became only the third boxer from the former Eastern Bloc to fight for a piece of the heavyweight title ushering in a successful era of former Soviet-bloc heavyweights
6. Fought then-IBF champion Chris Byrd to a draw in 2004 at boxing's mecca, Madison Square Garden, achieving the best result in a world heavyweight prizefight among all Polish heavyweights who ever fought for a piece of the division’s crown
7. IBF North American heavyweight title
8. WBA Fedelatin heavyweight title