The True Legacy of Andrew Golota

No, the reason he fled Poland was because of a bar brawl in which a weapon was involved.

 

I suggest you watch rewatch both fights. I'll admit that his match with John Ruiz was sloppy, but that's because Ruiz made it that way by clinching, grabbing, holding, etc. Golota demonstrated fine skills and definitely proved to be the superior boxer.

 

Agreed. Nice to see someone such as yourself finally understands.

Absolutely, the network which aired the bout (Showtime) was biased IMO and took on an anti-Golota frame of mind. You could totally tell by listening to the commentators of that bout (Steve Albert and former world champion Bobby Czyz) that they were not particularly fond of Andrew (sad considering Czyz himself has Polish roots).

I'm glad that Andrew never fought on Showtime after this (although he almost did when his scrap against Irishman Kevin McBride was in the works to make the ariwaves on the Peter-McCline broadcast but was cut in the end). The late Jay Larkin – former executive producer for Showtime Event Television – said the Pole would never fight on Showtime, but that's okay, because HBO thought Golota was good enough to put him on three times after the Tyson drama fell through. I still can't believe Albert called Golota a coward without knowing the real facts.

The neurosurgeon revealed Andrew's injuries following the brief bout.

Yes, Golota's wife has been a criminal attorney for over 20 years and was talking about suing Al Certo for his actions toward Andrew in the ring at the Palace.

 

Well I just can't believe Golota was terrified. He got up from a knockdown and fought on with injuries. Every injury in any professional sport has its time limitations (an athlete can only manage so long while hurt before risking serious health complications or worse). Andrew's time limitation was only 2 rounds in a boxing match, but it doesn't make his injuries less serious. I understand that Andrew didn't appear injured to you guys, but it doesn't mean he wasn't. Medical tests by a licensed professional prove not only that he was injured, but indicate to what extent.

The reason I believe the tide would have turned if this fight reached the midway point or beyond is because it's more a case of Tyson snapping than it is about Golota. As I wrote before, by the time of their meeting (circa 2000) Mike was worn out and didn't have the conditioning needed at the top level. Yes, he was brave against Lewis for which I give him a ton of credit but still did not reach the championship rounds, and did not reach them by a relatively considerable amount. I think if Andrew hung on until round 5 or beyond then Mike would have either a) snapped which means he would have fouled and have been the one who did something dirty/stupid resulting in him getting disqualified and Andrew winning OR b) run out of gas (as I just said above citing his poor conditioning) which would have made him quit or get knocked out/lose a wide decision. Remember, at this time, Golota was MUCH closer to his prime than Tyson and was also two years younger than the latter; not to mention, the Pole was physically always better prepared to go the distance in fights than was "Iron Mike" – a 3-round fighter in his prime who didn't have the stamina to compete for the long haul.

Simply put, Tyson would have been mentally and physically frustrated the more the fight went on, and the longer it would have gone, the higher chance Golota would have had of winning. Golota always looked stiff at the very beginning of fights, coming straight out of the gate. That's when he was at his slowest pace (Lewis and Brewster ceased these opportunities) but once he got into the fight, he was game and the fight was his for the taking. Certainly, against Samson Po'uha, Danell Nicholson, Tim Witherspoon, Orlin Norris, Kevin McBride, and Mike Mollo, Golota exhibited his best qualities to get that W, but versus the Bowes, Grants, and Austins of this world it just didn't work out in the Pole's favor.

 

It's all a matter of perspective.

There have been posters on here in the past who were diehard Golota fans through and through. Such guys as Rumsfeld, JETSKI, LoutFatski, and Hoax, to name only a few, also have fine boxing knowledge. They supported Andrew and the "The Official Golota Express!!!" was one of the most popular forums on the web through the years.

My goal is not to convince anyone on here to hop on the Golota bandwagon; instead, my goal is twofold: raise awareness about the true accomplishments of Andrew when looking back on his career, and try to make yourself appreciate these accomplishments.

Having a good family life and money is good and all, but does not influence a boxer's legacy (at least I don't think it should). IMO that should stem from what the fighter actually did in the ring (this matters more). However, because Golota is revered in Poland, as you mention, that is definitely a part of his legacy. The Polish-born idol of millions put his homeland on the boxing map.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

 

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