07.11.07 – By Scoop Malinowski: IBF North American Heavyweight champ Andrew Golota attended some of the World Amateur Boxing championships held at UIC Pavilion in Chicago the previous fortnight and was most impressed by the Chinese wunderkind Zou Shiming, of all the boxers he watched. “Paperweights, the guy from China, I saw him beat the Russian,” said Golota. “Untouchable. You can’t touch him. Unbelievable..
“You don’t see it many times, especially amateur. A guy in low weight divisions like that, with his hands low, doesn’t guard himself, he bob and weave. And the other guy can’t touch him. Unbelievable. I think he was one of the best.”
Zou Shiming won the 2007 Junior Flyweight world championship by defeating Harry Tanamor of Philippines. Zou also won the amateur world title two years ago, as well as an Olympic bronze medal in 2004 in Athens, Greece (where he defeated American Rau’shee Warren). After winning his second world title, the 26-year-old Zou said, “I’m very happy that I won my second gold and I can prove myself again for the country. At this level everyone’s skill is similar so creativity is important. I am a little guy with the right attitude.”
Golota, a 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, complimented the Italian Super Heavyweight Roberto Cammarelle who won his first world amateur championship (by defeating Vyacheslav Glazkov of Ukraine, after winning bronze in ’05). And he added that “the Americans looked good,” particularly flyweight Rau’shee Warren and 152-pounder Demetrius Andrade who both captured world championship gold.
Regarding his own most recent performance – the TKO win over Kevin McBride in New York City, Golota said, “It was okay. Competition was good. Best performance by him I think.”
I asked Golota what he thought of the wonderful reception he received from the Garden crowd. Even though it was only half full, the frenzied crowd sounded like it was a full house sellout when he entered the ring. “I couldn’t hear my own song coming out. The hall was empty and I couldn’t hear my own song. I couldn’t understand it.”
By the way, Golota entered the ring to the superb new Kanye West song ‘Stronger.’
mrbiofile@aol.com