Golota vs. Adamek Looks Like A Go For Late October

August 3rd, 2009

The biggest sporting “event” in the history of Poland is looking like a Go. Heavyweight contender Andrew Golota and two-time world champion Tomasz Adamek will likely clash in Wroclaw, Poland in late October, says the man who manages them both Ziggy Rozalski.

“They both want the fight. Don King (Golota promoter) is up for it, Main Events (Adamek) is up for it. It’s a done deal they both want to do it,” said Rozalski on Sunday.

The purse split was easy to reach accord. “The purse split is 50-50. It was very easy to reach because it’s a very big fight in Poland. Golota is a big star. Adamek is a big star. They are the two biggest stars in the history of Poland. They made it in the greatest country in the world – America. If it doesn’t happen in America, it doesn’t count.”

To explain just how popular the 42-year-old Golota is in Poland, when the four-time world heavyweight title challenger boxed Tim Witherspoon on October 2, 1998 in Wroclaw, the fight got “the biggest TV rating in sports ever in the country, and it’s never been beaten yet,” says Rozalski. “Golota-Witherspoon had more viewers than when the Pope came to Poland. And I think Golota-Adamek would probably beat the ratings record.”

Back in ’98 there wasn’t even a boxing commission in Poland. Rozalski and Golota started pro boxing in Poland. “We started his career in Wroclaw, and now we’re going to end it in Wroclaw, says Rozalski.”

Rozalski says there was no problem whatsoever in trying to get Adamek, age 32 (33 in December) to accept the fight with the bigger man Golota. “Whatever deal I give him, he says, When? Adamek doesn’t care. He’s very easy to deal with.”

There is also some bad blood between the two Poles that stems from a misunderstanding of quotes Golota made to the media at the Adamek-Dawson match held in Kissimmee, FL in February of 2007 (see below article).

About 12,000 are expected to fill the venue in Wroclaw. It’s expected to be the final fight of Golota’s career.

For Adamek, there is the possibility of a showdown with Bernard Hopkins looming for January 2010 as well as a rematch with mandatory challenger Steve Cunningham.

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Dawson vs Adamek Through Golota’s Eyes

05.02.07 – By Scoop Malinowski: A star was born last night in Kissimmee, Florida…Chad Dawson (photo by Tom Casino).

The unbeaten 24-year-old from New Haven, CT scored a clearcut unanimous decision against the very respected Tomasz Adamek over 12 rounds to win the WBC Light Heavyweight championship.

Watching the fight at my side was none other than Polish heavyweight Andrew Golota who has also been training in Vero Beach at Buddy McGirt’s gym. Listening to an accomplished expert like Golota for 12 rounds was quite a privilege, as this man understands the art of pugilism as well as just about anyone.

30 seconds into round one, Golota observed, “He doesn’t know how to fight a southpaw. He doesn’t know what to do.”

Over the next few rounds, Golota said, “He has to attack. He can’t sit there and wait. Jab. Jab! Be first. Attack! He has to stop waiting.”

“He can’t wait. He’s waiting.”

Golota then demonstrated what he believed Adamek must do. With me in southpaw stance, he said to throw a straight left. Golota then slipped to his right and threw a right to my body. “You have to throw the punch at the same time he does. Then, the left hook is the most important punch to throw against a southpaw. You have to finish the combination with the left hook. He’s not throwing the left hook…He has to move to his right, he’s not moving to his right.”

“It looks like he doesn’t know how to fight a southpaw. I tried to tell them but they didn’t listen to me. I am like the perfect fighter to fight a southpaw. I know exactly how to fight a southpaw.”

When asked which southpaw he had fought, Golota quickly reminded me of Chris Byrd. And added that he lamented injuring his left inner elbow in round six when he caught his arm on a rope. I remembered to myself that Vitali Klitschko, Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Kassim Ouma and Chris Byrd’s own wife Tracy all thought Golota beat Byrd that New York City night but two of the three judges did not.

Golota continued his commentary as the rounds progressed: “He has to pressure him, attack. He has to turn it into a brawl. He can’t wait. He has to put pressure on Chad. Pressure him. Chad is winning the fight, 4-0. He looks better. He looks cute…Chad is good on offense. He has to put pressure on him to take him out of his rhythm.”

By round 8 , Golota said, “It’s over. Over. It’s not competitive. He needs to knock him out.”

Then during the last two rounds, after Adamek floored Dawson with a crushing right in round 10, Golota became excited, “Great fight. Great fight. People want to see it again. Showtime has to make the rematch.”

I asked how Adamek could possibly understand the instructions of McGirt, as Tomasz speaks very little English and McGirt speaks zero Polish. “I don’t think he understands him.” (Will have to watch the tape of the fight later to see what Buddy was coaching Tomasz to do.)

In the dressing room before the fight, McGirt only gave Adamek one certain instruction, on what to do when Dawson threw an uppercut inside. That was all I recall seeing. It is not known if they had already prepared other strategies or if the language communication barrier is a severe handicap to the pair effectively working together.

I don’t recall McGirt or Adamek discussing strategy much in the dressing room, in fact the only other interaction I saw between the two was on the way to the ring, while waiting for the cue to enter the arena from the Showtime director. Adamek turned around and asked McGirt, “Do you have my mouthpiece?”

After the decision was announced, Adamek said, “Chad was quicker than I was tonight. It was a difficult fight because he was fast. He was the fastest I have ever seen…I will be champion again.”

Dawson’s speed and height and reach advantages might just have been too much for Adamek and McGirt to deal with, no matter which language they speak. Or what Golota thinks Adamek should have done.

Adamek walked out of the arena to the back dressing rooms by himself, without his white leather robe on, or with his cornermen with him. He was extremely disappointed with his head lowered, but still he was dignified in a champion’s way. Golota was there to greet his saddened countryman and gently reached out with his right hand to cup Adamek’s right shoulder for a brief second. The two Polish warriors did not need to speak words at that moment, but something was spoken with that gesture that only the great warriors are allowed to understand.

Back in the dressing room Adamek was on his sofa being consoled by his wife and a good friend. He looked depressed. But also he seemed to be thinking very hard on what he needs to do become champion again. Suddenly, the classy new champion entered the room. There was absolutely no arrogance or even a milligram of disrespect in his tone. He actually seemed humble and tremendously honored by Team Adamek that he was given the opportunity of a lifetime. he handled the awkward moment perfectly.

As you might know, the Adamek camp was fore-warned how dangerous Dawson was and that they could have waited till he became the mandatory challenger. But Adamek signed to fight the high-risk Dawson as he is a true champion and sportsman, unlike some of our other phony, fraudulent pound-for-pound pretenders who are businessmen first, second and thirdmost.

Dawson humbly shook hands with each member of Team Adamek and called Tomasz a great champion and thanked them for the opportunity. He also shook Tomasz’s hand and it was a beautiful boxing moment, one I won’t ever forget. Chad Dawson was very impressive in the ring on Saturday night, but he’s an even better person outside the ring. People like Floyd Mayweather, Ricardo Mayorga, and many others could learn a lot about conducting themselves like a champion from Chad Dawson.

McGirt said he would talk to Tomasz “in a few days” about the fight, now was too soon.

At the post fight press conference, the new champion said, “I will fight the best fighters, whoever they bring to the table.” He also told me Adamek was the toughest man he ever faced. “He kept coming and coming forward for the entire fight.”

Chad’s promoter Gary Shaw even said Dawson, who once upon a short time ago, was a middleweight, might even be “heavyweight champion someday.” I wasn’t sure if he was joking or semi-serious.

All in all, it was just a marvelous win for the polite and classy young man who can look forward to wonderful career if he continues to work and train hard. Against Adamek, Dawson showed hints and traces in his style of the one and only Larry Holmes. Imagine what Chad Dawson can become if he refuses to let success go to his head and if he reaches his physical and psychological peak in about 6-8 years?

Final Thoughts: The city of Kissimmee, Florida was excited to welcome big-time professional sports to the Silver Spurs Arena and Don King’s cast of world class boxers delivered a successful event. Kissimmee, which is about a half hour from Orlando, is the spring training home of the Houston Astros and the Chicago Cubs single-A minor league team. King promised to bring future events to Kissimmee.

Funny Moment of the Night: After the Adamek-Dawson decision, fans filtered by Golota, dozens asking for photos. Then Monte Barrett walked by and joked to Golota in a funny fan voice, Can I get a picture with you? Of course, Golota always likes a good one-liner and smiled to the man he may possibly wind up fighting in March or later this year.

Famous ringsiders: Glen Johnson, Pinklon Thomas, Nate Campbell, Devon Alexander, former Polish Olympic gold medalist Jerzy Kulej.
From www.BoxingIinsider.com archives.