Andrew Golota
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Andrew Golota | ||||||||||||||||||||
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![]() Golota in 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
Weight(s) | Heavyweight | |||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
Reach | 201 cm (79 in) | |||||||||||||||||||
Nationality | Polish, American | |||||||||||||||||||
Born | Andrzej Gołota 5 January 1968 Warsaw, Poland | |||||||||||||||||||
Stance | Orthodox | |||||||||||||||||||
Boxing record | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total fights | 52 | |||||||||||||||||||
Wins | 41 | |||||||||||||||||||
Wins by KO | 33 | |||||||||||||||||||
Losses | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
Draws | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
No contests | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Andrzej Jan Gołota (Polish: [ˈandʐɛj ɡɔˈwɔta]; born 5 January 1968),[1] best known as Andrew Golota, is a Polish former professional boxer who competed from 1992 to 2013. He challenged four times for a heavyweight world title (by all four major sanctioning bodies), and as an amateur won a bronze medal in the heavyweight division at the 1988 Olympics. Despite his accomplishments and more than 40 professional wins, Golota is perhaps best known for twice being disqualified against Riddick Bowe for repeated low blows in fights that Golota was winning.[2]
Amateur career[]
The Warsaw-born Golota had 111 wins in an amateur career that culminated in his winning a bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Golota won other international amateur tournaments as well.
In 1990, he got into a fight with Piotr Białostocki in a bar in Poland. Facing charges of assault and battery, he fled rather than risk five years in prison. [3] Later that year, he married an American citizen of Polish descent and settled in Chicago.[4] Gołota's Olympic results were as follows:
- 1st round bye
- Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) 5-0
- Defeated Harold Obunga (Kenya) 5-0
- Lost to Baik Hyun-Man (South Korea) RSC 2
Professional career[]
In 1992, he turned professional, knocking out Roosevelt Shuler in three rounds. He had three more knockouts and then went the distance for the first time, defeating Robert Smith in six rounds. He won his next 16 fights by knockout. His wins included Bobby Crabtree and Jeff Lampkin. Following his KO of Crabtree he was featured in Ring Magazine's new faces section. Soon after, he faced a respected contender, Maron Wilson. Golota won a ten-round decision. He won his next five bouts by knockout. His opponents included Samson Po'uha and Darnell Nicholson, both of whom were considered fringe contenders at the time. The win over Po'uha was memorable for the moment in which Gołota bit Po'uha on the side of the neck, two years before the bite-including rematch between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson.[5]
Golota vs. Bowe I & II[]
![]() | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (March 2015) |
Golota's first high-profile fight came against former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe. Bowe had not fought in nearly a year since his third and final fight with Evander Holyfield, which he won by technical knockout in the eighth round, and had said regarding his opponent, "how do you train for a bum?", paying no attention to his opponent's win-loss record. The fight was held at Madison Square Garden on 11 July 1996, and was televised by HBO as part of its World Championship Boxing series.
Early in the fight it appeared that Bowe had underestimated his opponent's skills. However, Golota's penchant for not following the rules was also showcased in this fight as he took to striking Bowe in the testicles. After being repeatedly warned, referee Wayne Kelly began deducting points from Golota and had done so twice prior to the seventh round. Early in that round, Kelly took a third point from Golota and warned him that if he did it again, he was going to lose the fight. Golota continued to fight and with less than a minute left in the round landed several hard shots that appeared to have Bowe staggered. However, with 37 seconds remaining in the round Golota dropped Bowe with another blatant low punch, directly to the testes, and Kelly disqualified him. What ensued was a dramatic riot that left a large number of civilians and policemen injured, including Gołota himself, who was hit by a member of Bowe's entourage with a two-way radio and required eleven stitches to close a cut on his head. The riot, which has been named "Riot at the Garden", was called Event of the Year by Ring Magazine.
The controversy of Golota vs. Bowe I created interest in a rematch, which was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey on December 14, 1996. Golota vs. Bowe II was on Pay Per View and Gołota once again led Bowe on the scorecards only to be disqualified in the ninth round by referee Eddie Cotton, again for multiple shots to Bowe's testes. This fight also proved to be controversial, and a protest was filed by Gołota's camp to try to overturn the fight's result. Michael Katz, a sportswriter, coined the term Foul Pole for Gołota. Both fights are featured on HBO's documentary Legendary Nights The Tale of Bowe Golota.[citation needed]
Championship fight with Lewis[]
Despite two losses in a row, Gołota became the WBC number one contender. On 4 October 1997, he received a shot at the world's Heavyweight championship against Lennox Lewis in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Gołota was knocked out in the first round.
Gołota subsequently claimed that an injection of lidocaine for tendonitis in his right knee given to him by his physician shortly before the fight made him woozy and impaired his vision. The adverse effects of lidocaine include dizziness, blurred vision, seizures. As a result, he filed a medical malpractice suit against his physician, claiming that the injection had cost him the fight and a deal with HBO for $21 million to broadcast his next four to five fights.[6][7]
Later career[]
![]() | This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (March 2015) |
Gołota's boxing career continued with his beating former 2-time world champion Tim Witherspoon by decision. In his next match, he lost to Michael Grant by a knockout in the tenth round in one of The Ring's 1999 fights of the year. Gołota scored two knockdowns of Grant in the first round. He was ahead on all three judges' scorecards in the tenth round when he himself was knocked down. When asked by referee Randy Neuman whether he wanted to continue, he shook his head twice and then haltingly answered "No".[8]
In 2000, Gołota fought in China beating Marcus Rhodes with a third-round knockout. Later in 2000, he faced former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. Tyson knocked Golota down in the first round, and in between rounds Golota told his corner to stop the fight but his corner talked him into continuing. In the third round, as he had done in the Grant match, Gołota told the referee he did not want to continue, despite his team desperately urging him on. He later claimed a headbutt impaired him during the fight, which was one of his main reasons for deciding not to continue. The result of the fight was later changed to no contest when Tyson failed a post fight drug test, testing positive for marijuana. Following the Tyson fight, Gołota was inactive for nearly three years before returning to the ring on 14 August 2003. He scored a technical knockout of journeyman Brian Nix in the seventh round. On November 15, Golota knocked out Terrence Lewis in the sixth round at Verona, New York. Gołota then received a second world title shot, fighting IBF heavyweight champion Chris Byrd at New York City's Madison Square Garden on 17 April 2004. The fight resulted in a draw.
On 13 November 2004, Gołota received his second world title shot in a row. Despite knocking down WBA champion John Ruiz twice within the bout, he lost by unanimous decision.[9]
Golota received his third world title try in a row on 21 May 2005 against WBO champion Lamon Brewster. Though heavily favored to win, Gołota lost when Brewster knocked him down three times inside the first round, prompting the referee to stop the bout. On 9 June 2007, he beat Jeremy Bates in the 2nd round by technical knockout. Gołota fought Kevin McBride on October 6, 2007 in Madison Square Garden and won by TKO in the 6th round, winning the inaugural IBF North American Heavyweight championship.[10]
On 19 January 2008, Gołota defeated Mike Mollo by unanimous decision in 12 rounds to win the World Boxing Association Fedelatin heavyweight championship belt. In January, 2009, Gołota lost by first-round TKO to Ray Austin. On 24 October 2009 in Łódź, Gołota fought Tomasz Adamek and lost by TKO in the 5th round. The event was hosted on Polsat TV, it was also broadcast live online on ipla.tv platform. It was the largest live internet transmission in Poland.[citation needed]
Professional boxing record[]
52 fights | 41 wins | 9 losses |
By knockout | 33 | 6 |
By decision | 8 | 1 |
By disqualification | 0 | 2 |
Draws | 1 | |
No contests | 1 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
52 | Loss | 41–9–1 (1) | ![]() |
KO | 6 (10), 2:49 | 23 Feb 2013 | ![]() |
|
51 | Loss | 41–8–1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (10), 1:20 | 24 Oct 2009 | ![]() |
For vacant IBF International heavyweight title |
50 | Loss | 41–7–1 (1) | ![]() |
RTD | 1 (12), 3:00 | 7 Nov 2008 | ![]() |
For vacant WBC–USNBC heavyweight title |
49 | Win | 41–6–1 (1) | ![]() |
UD | 12 | 19 Jan 2008 | ![]() |
Won WBA Fedelatin heavyweight title |
48 | Win | 40–6–1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (12), 2:42 | 6 Oct 2007 | ![]() |
Won vacant IBF North American heavyweight title |
47 | Win | 39–6–1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 2:59 | 9 Jun 2007 | ![]() |
|
46 | Loss | 38–6–1 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (12), 0:52 | 21 May 2005 | ![]() |
For WBO heavyweight title |
45 | Loss | 38–5–1 (1) | ![]() |
UD | 12 | 13 Nov 2004 | ![]() |
For WBA heavyweight title |
44 | Draw | 38–4–1 (1) | ![]() |
SD | 12 | 17 Apr 2004 | ![]() |
For IBF heavyweight title |
43 | Win | 38–4 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (10), 1:25 | 14 Nov 2003 | ![]() |
|
42 | Win | 37–4 (1) | ![]() |
TKO | 7 (10), 2:43 | 14 Aug 2003 | ![]() |
|
41 | NC | 36–4 (1) | ![]() |
RTD | 3 (10), 3:00 | 20 Oct 2000 | ![]() |
Originally an RTD win for Tyson, later ruled an NC after he failed a drug test |
40 | Win | 36–4 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 16 Jun 2000 | ![]() |
|
39 | Win | 35–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:19 | 22 Apr 2000 | ![]() |
|
38 | Loss | 34–4 | ![]() |
TKO | 10 (12), 1:31 | 20 Nov 1999 | ![]() |
For NABF heavyweight title |
37 | Win | 34–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 6 (10) | 26 Jun 1999 | ![]() |
|
36 | Win | 33–3 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 30 Jan 1999 | ![]() |
|
35 | Win | 32–3 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 2 Oct 1998 | ![]() |
|
34 | Win | 31–3 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 21 Jul 1998 | ![]() |
|
33 | Win | 30–3 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (10), 2:09 | 8 May 1998 | ![]() |
|
32 | Win | 29–3 | ![]() |
KO | 6 (10), 2:15 | 14 Apr 1998 | ![]() |
|
31 | Loss | 28–3 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (12), 1:35 | 4 Oct 1997 | ![]() |
For WBC heavyweight title |
30 | Loss | 28–2 | ![]() |
DQ | 9 (10), 2:58 | 14 Dec 1996 | ![]() |
Golota disqualified for repeated low blows |
29 | Loss | 28–1 | ![]() |
DQ | 7 (12), 2:37 | 11 Jul 1996 | ![]() |
Golota disqualified for repeated low blows |
28 | Win | 28–0 | ![]() |
RTD | 8 (10), 3:00 | 15 Mar 1996 | ![]() |
|
27 | Win | 27–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 2:36 | 30 Jan 1996 | ![]() |
|
26 | Win | 26–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10) | 18 Nov 1995 | ![]() |
|
25 | Win | 25–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (8), 0:39 | 26 Aug 1995 | ![]() |
|
24 | Win | 24–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 5 (10), 2:44 | 16 May 1995 | ![]() |
|
23 | Win | 23–0 | ![]() |
UD | 10 | 11 Apr 1995 | ![]() |
|
22 | Win | 22–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (8) | 26 Jan 1995 | ![]() |
|
21 | Win | 21–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 7 (10), 3:00 | 1 Nov 1994 | ![]() |
|
20 | Win | 20–0 | ![]() |
RTD | 1 (10), 3:00 | 13 Aug 1994 | ![]() |
|
19 | Win | 19–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (8), 2:59 | 18 Jun 1994 | ![]() |
|
18 | Win | 18–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (10), 1:51 | 6 May 1994 | ![]() |
|
17 | Win | 17–0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (8) | 16 Mar 1994 | ![]() |
|
16 | Win | 16–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (8) | 14 Jan 1994 | ![]() |
|
15 | Win | 15–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6) | 23 Nov 1993 | ![]() |
|
14 | Win | 14–0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (8), 2:59 | 4 Sep 1993 | ![]() |
|
13 | Win | 13–0 | ![]() |
PTS | 8 | 10 Jul 1993 | ![]() |
|
12 | Win | 12–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (8) | 22 Jun 1993 | ![]() |
|
11 | Win | 11–0 | ![]() |
KO | 3 (6) | 15 May 1993 | ![]() |
|
10 | Win | 10–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (10), 1:14 | 26 Mar 1993 | ![]() |
|
9 | Win | 9–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6) | 5 Feb 1993 | ![]() |
|
8 | Win | 8–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (8), 2:49 | 5 Dec 1992 | ![]() |
|
7 | Win | 7–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 2 (6) | 3 Oct 1992 | ![]() |
|
6 | Win | 6–0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (6) | 28 Aug 1992 | ![]() |
|
5 | Win | 5–0 | ![]() |
PTS | 6 | 24 Jul 1992 | ![]() |
|
4 | Win | 4–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 1 (6) | 20 Jun 1992 | ![]() |
|
3 | Win | 3–0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (4) | 27 Mar 1992 | ![]() |
|
2 | Win | 2–0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (4), 2:13 | 28 Feb 1992 | ![]() |
|
1 | Win | 1–0 | ![]() |
TKO | 3 (4) | 7 Feb 1992 | ![]() |
Television viewership[]
Poland[]
Date | Fight | Viewership (avg.) | Network | Source(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 October 1998
|
Andrew Golota vs. Tim Witherspoon | 12,500,000
|
Polsat | [11][12] |
24 October 2009
|
Andrew Golota vs. Tomasz Adamek | 8,190,000 – 13,000,000
|
Polsat | [13][14][15] |
Total viewership | 20,690,000 – 25,500,000 |
Pay-per-view bouts[]
Date | Fight | Pay-per-view buys | Network | Source(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
23 February 2013
|
Andrew Golota vs. Przemysław Saleta | 120,000
|
Cyfra+ PPV | [16] |
Total sales | 120,000 | Cyfra+ PPV |
United States[]
Pay-per-view bouts[]
Date | Fight | Pay-per-view buys | Network | Source(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 October 1997
|
Lennox Lewis vs. Andrew Golota | 300,000
|
HBO PPV | [17] |
20 October 2000
|
Mike Tyson vs. Andrew Golota | 450,000
|
Showtime PPV | [18] |
17 April 2004 | Chris Byrd vs. Andrew Golota | 75,000
|
Spike TV/King Vision | [19][20] |
11 December 2004 | John Ruiz vs. Andrew Golota | 120,000
|
HBO PPV | [21] |
Total sales | 945,000 |
Other[]
Golota took part in Census 2010 commercials, recorded in Polish and English. In 2010, he appeared in the Polish edition of Dancing with the Stars (Taniec z Gwiazdami) with partner Magdalena Soszyńska-Michno. In his first appearance he danced waltz. He fell out on 7 November 2010, in 1/8 final. He reached 5th place.[citation needed] He has also participated in Polish version of "The Mole" (Agent - Gwiazdy), he has been eliminated and came on 8th place.
References[]
- ^ "Andrzej Gołota". Onet Sport (in Polish). 2012-11-15. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
- ^ Fitzgerald, Mike; Morley, Patrick (2014-06-19). Third Man in the Ring: 33 of Boxing's Best Referees and Their Stories. Potomac Books, Inc. ISBN 9781612342429.
- ^ "Down and Dirty", sportsillustrated.cnn.com; retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ http://articles.philly.com/1997-09-21/sports/25550733_1_andrew-golota-bowe-last-year-england-s-lennox-lewis
- ^ BraggingRightsCorner.com Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine; accessed 8 March 2015.
- ^ Ackert, Kristie, "Golata Sues Own Doctor Over Shot"[permanent dead link], nydailynews.com; accessed 8 March 2015.
- ^ "Golota Says Injection Made Him Feel Woosy", The New York Times; accessed 8 March 2015.
- ^ "Michael Grant vs. Andrew Golota - BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
- ^ Rafael, Dan. "Ruiz, Byrd, Rahman victorious in ring". USA Today. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
- ^ "Andrew Golota vs. Kevin McBride - BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
- ^ "LEGENDARNE WALKI #2: Andrzej Gołota vs Tim Witherspoon" (in Polish). 25 November 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Telewizja Polsat kończy 20 lat – poznajmy jej historie" (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Polsat Boxing Night 7: Wszystkie wojny Tomasza Adamka GALERIA" (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Ponad 8 mln widzów walki Adamek - Gołota" (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Miliony oglądały zakrwawionego Gołotę" (in Polish). Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "DOBRA SPRZEDAŻ WALKI GOŁOTA - SALETA" (in Polish). 25 February 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ^ "Rawling awards Lewis clean sweep". BBC. 2000-11-12. Retrieved 2016-04-16.
- ^ Emen, Jake (October 30, 2011). "Biggest boxing PPVs of all time – UFC". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on November 24, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
- ^ Where are the new heavyweights? By Dan Rafael, USA TODAY
- ^ 2004-04-17 Chris Byrd vs Andrew Golota - IBF World Heavyweight Title
- ^ King throws weight behind Golota revival
External links[]
- 1968 births
- Living people
- Polish emigrants to the United States
- Olympic boxers of Poland
- Heavyweight boxers
- Boxers at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Boxers from Warsaw
- Olympic medalists in boxing
- Polish male boxers
- Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Olympic bronze medalists for Poland