By Scoop Malinowski

Andrew Golota won’t be in Las Vegas this weekend for the Bernard Hopkins-Joe Calzaghe showdown, but the WBC #8 heavyweight contender is supporting the legendary man from Philadelphia. Golota wants to send a simple message to Hopkins: “(I) wish him luck. Tell him like this: Stay focused. Go and win.”

Golota met Hopkins for the first time at Madison Square Garden where the two warriors sat near each other at ringside for Trinidad-Mayorga. Hopkins was kind enough to offer Golota some very useful advice and inspiration for his 2004 WBA Heavyweight title challenge against John Ruiz which Golota employed to good use. Golota would score two knockdowns of Ruiz and threw and landed more punches in nine of the 12 rounds and though most people believed Golota should have won the title by decision, Ruiz was given the verdict. Ruiz was also deducted a point for hitting on the break in that contest.

Golota has long respected Hopkins. Last year in an interview with Boxing News magazine of Great Britain, when asked who he thought was the best boxer in the sport today, Golota responded, “So many, so many of them. I think Bernard Hopkins. He is a tough, determined guy.”