18.03.04 – By Paul-John Ramos – Only two fights against tired journeymen were needed for Andrew Golota and promoter Don King to lure the International Boxing Federation into another sham title bout. Despite being inactive for nearly three years after his October 2000 forfeit to Mike Tyson and mauling two ready-made antiques with a combined record of 49-26-1 in his comeback, 36-year-old Golota (38-4, 31 KOs) was announced as the IBF’s #15 heavyweight contender on Sunday. The new ranking positions Golota for his upcoming fight with titleholder Chris Byrd at Madison Square Garden on April 17th.
His marquee fights now ancient history, Golota has done nothing in recent wins over Brian Nix (18-12) and Terence Lewis (31-14-1) to warrant a title shot. But the widespread popularity of Golota and a zeal to charge top-dollar sanctioning fees had the IBF salivating over a Byrd-Golota match-up. Add the savvy of King, who recently signed Golota to a new contract, and IBF officials could jump right atop their high horses to further trample the Muhammad Ali Act.
Before dropping out of the heavyweight landscape for nearly three years, Golota had fouled and quit himself out of respectability. A bronze medallist at the 1988 Olympic Games, Golota drew into title contention with 28 straight victories, going the distance only three times. But this erratic Warsaw native had also taken on the reputation of a fouler – he even bit heavyweight Samson Po’uha on the shoulder in their 1995 bout – and self-destructed during his two fights with Riddock Bowe in 1996. Despite pummeling Bowe in both meetings and contributing to the brain damage he now suffers from, Golota was twice disqualified for punches below the belt. Their first meeting, at Madison Square Garden that July, is known for Golota’s combination of three low blows that required Bowe to be carried out of the ring and his punch at Bowe staff member Bernard Brooks that engulfed the arena in a riot.
Boxing still had one more humiliation to undergo before Golota went on layoff, a sideshow with former heavyweight champion and convict Mike Tyson in Auburn, Michigan. Tyson, working towards his eventual megafight with Lennox Lewis, pounded and fouled Golota for two rounds before the stocky Pole, who suffered a concussion, herniated disc in his neck, and fractured cheekbone, asked referee Frank Garza to stop the fight. Pushing his way to the locker room, Golota was showered with debris by the 16,000 fans in attendance. The result was later changed to a no contest by the Michigan Boxing Commission after Tyson, caustic in pre-fight interviews, tested positive for marijuana.
Golota is still a recognizable and very marketable name, but don’t tell this to a contender like Dominick Guinn, who is ranked by the IBF just two rungs above at #13. Whereas Golota only began his comeback in the second half of 2003, Guinn (24-0, 17 KOs) has fought 11 times in the past two years. This includes a gruesome beating of former world title challenger Michael Grant, who knocked Golota into submission for the NABF heavyweight strap in November 1999.
Not that Golota is the only bizarre IBF heavyweight ranking this month. Besides its standard vacancies at #1 and #2 – a shameless ploy to force top-dollar “elimination” bouts – there are fighters who have been held up, elevated, and dropped for no good reason. David Tua, who has been inactive for months and swamped in an ugly financial dispute, has kept his #3 ranking, while Jameel McCline (#4), James Toney (#5), and Hasim Rahman (#6) have moved up from #6, #8, and #9 without a recent top-ten victory. Also notice how the IBF dropped Vitali Klitschko, #4 last month, from its rankings like a hot potato after becoming #1 with the WBC and #2 with the WBA.
Unless Golota has seriously changed his mindset during a three-year vacation, which is unlikely, politics has set the stage for another insult to boxing. Chris Byrd, who is small by today’s heavyweight standards, has the ability to elude Golota all night and drive him up the wall. But if Golota indeed chooses dirt over his experience and abilities, there are plenty who will share in the crime. Byrd had plenty of deserving heavyweights to fight, IBF president Marian Muhammad could have stood on the integrity of boxing for once in her life, and Golota could have kept a clear head when fame was in his grasp. As the old adage goes, it’s all just too bad.