Adamek vs. Golota on October 24th

By Boxing News - 08/25/2009 - Comments

By Sean McDaniel: Tomasz Adamek (38-1, 26 KO’s) and former heavyweight contender Andrew Golota (41-7-1, 33 KO) will be fighting on October 24th, in Lodz, Poland. The fight has no real relevance other than giving the two fighters a good payday.

Adamek is the International Boxing Federation cruiserweight champion and is much too small and slow to compete against the bigger, faster and much more powerful heavyweights in the division like the Klitschko brothers.

Golota, 41, hasn’t seen action since dislocating his elbow in the 1st round against Ray Austin in November. Golota has had his share of big opportunities during his 17-year pro, failing in five world title fights to win a heavyweight championship. The last chance that Golota received was in 2005, losing by a 1st round knockout to then WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster.

Adamek has been looking to get a big money fight with Bernard Hopkins, as well as rematch with Steve Cunningham. However, as of yet, Adamek has come up empty. Indeed, Adamek hasn’t been able to cash in on his IBF title since capturing the crown with a close 12-round split decision win over Steve Cunningham in December 2008.

Since that fight, Adamek has fought Johnathon Banks and Bobby Gunn, easily beating both of them by knockout. However, neither of these opponents have been anywhere close to a big money fighter that Adamek needs to make a good payday. Adamek was counting on a fight against Hopkins, but thus far that bout has failed to materialize for Adamek.

Sadly, the Golota fight is about the best Adamek can do right now to get a decent payday. It’s unfortunate, really, because Adamek is probably the best fighter in the cruiserweight division right now, but he doesn’t have a big named opponent for which he can get a big payday against. The division is entirely lacking in star power and one of the potential stars, Enzo Macarinelli, has had his career got to pieces in the past year with several losses.

Golota will have a huge size advantage over Adamek in this fight, outweighing the 201 pound Adamek by at least forty pounds and taller than the 6’1″ Adamek by three inches. Normally, that would probably be enough for a fighter like Golota to win by knockout or a comfortable decision. But Golota isn’t the same fighter he was earlier in his career in his prime, which was in the early 90s.

In recent years, Golota has slowed down and doesn’t appear to have the hand speed or the power that he had years ago. Still, he hits harder than any fighter that Adamek has been in against, but Golota doesn’t have the stamina to fight hard for long. If Adamek can weather the early storm by Golota, there’s a good chance that Adamek may be able to stop Golota.

The fight will be more like a circus like attraction than a real competitive bout. Golota is too old and passed it to give Adamek much of a fight beyond the 3rd round. The bout is scheduled for 12 rounds, but I highly doubt that Golota will make it that far without folding for one reason or another.



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