Why did Bowe take such beatings from Golota?

I agree. Those three fights took a lot out of Bowe which you can see now in interviews not to mention how out of shape he would get in between fights.

 

It's tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5 am when you've been sleeping in silk pajamas

Marvin Hagler

Bowe was getting faded (age is arbitrary when discussing how it impacts different fighters). He was not known for being a guy who was ever committed to training in the first place. Add millions of $, some tough fights and a dwindling commitment and you have a recipe for how he looked against Golota.

 

People really need to stop talking age when describing a fighter being shot. For instance fighter A could still function at this level while fighter B couldn't. Therefore it's not age related.
That's the biggest bunch of bull#### someone can say!
Look at how early a monster like Pipino Cuavas was shot! Saad is another example. I could name many more but why bother. Look everyone is wired differently. The central nervous system comes into play here too. All it takes for some fighters is to catch one to many punches and there just not the same it's really that simple.
Some people will say well look at Bhop he took great care of himself and I'll say look at LaMotta who took awful care of himself yet lived to be almost 100 with a clear mind.
Some guys only have so much punch resistance in them then that's it. Bowe falls into this category.

 

After trilogies like that fighters are usually spent.
Ali and Frazier both were shot after Manila.

Bowe and Holy had noticeably slowed down too. Both, not only Bowe.

 

Listening to Bowe slur with a few years of his trilogy was enough to know his body didn't recover.

Aries Spears cracked a bad joke about Bowe, by impersonating, really bad, but he had the words exact.

Instead of saying "as long as I do what I'm supposed to do"
He said "As long as do what im po'd ta do"

Then listen to him first fight post- interview he could enunciate rather well. "bert cooper knocked him against the ropes, well I knocked Evander down!"

@reckless I think its 3 things; 1. Golota was a pretty good boxer. Not great, but better than average. 2. Add in that Bowe didn't train well as @Unforgiven said. 3. Holyfield put damage on him that Andrew completed.

Same with Meldrick Taylor. The beating he took from Chavez in those 2 fights, he couldn't recover. And hearing him slur, if you're a true fan. That **** hurts to hear.

 

Lack of dedication to his craft.

 

Bowe not very dedicated even when young .This meant he took more punishment latter in his career.He took a lot less than some but people react differently to punishment look at Duran compared to Benitez.

 

True Lewis made quick work of the mental problematic Golota because his opponent fought under Lidocaine influence. Tyson was harder puncher than Bowe he could ruin Golotas' health.

 

Golota could be quite formidable occasionally and he was in the two Bowe fights. His mental problems were even more formidable - for him.

 

Bowe did one big mistake in both fights. He didn't try to bomb Golota out. Like Lennox,Tyson or Brewster did. Bowe boxed vs Golota instead.

Lennox was the 1st opponent to do that to Golota and showed where Golota is vulnerable at. Bowe never tried it, exept maybe round 5 of their rematch when he dropped Golota and then Andrew low blowed Bowe in that round.

 

"He didn't try to bomb Golota out". Just a speculation.

 

Good point