By Joe Harrison
Now that 2007 has come to an end, it will likely be remembered as the year of redemption for the sport of professional boxing. Names such as Floyd Mayweather Jr, Miguel Cotto, Manny Pacquiao, and Kelly Pavlik helped keep boxing alive with their superb skills and exciting battles. It appears that 2008 is looking to be another big year for the sweet science as it continues its climb back into the spotlight. As boxing continues to redeem itself from the past few years of mediocrity, there are others looking toward redemption as well. Two of these individuals are heavyweight boxers from Chicago, Andrew Golota and Mike Mollo, who will face each other on the undercard of the Jones/Trinidad Pay-per-view on January 19th at Madison Square Garden in New York.
It is hard to believe that Andrew Golota (40-6-1, 33 KOs) will turn 40-years-old on January 5th. It was only on June 5th of ’07 that Golota made his return from a two-year hiatus to score a 2nd-round stoppage of Jeremy Bates in Poland. Even more impressive, Golota fought again on October 6th at the Madison Square Garden in New York, scoring a 6th-round technical knockout over Mike Tyson-conqueror Kevin McBride. Despite finding himself in trouble during the first round against McBride, Golota was able to fight back and eventually battered McBride enough to convince referee Arthur Mercante Jr. that it was time to save McBride by waving off the bout.
Surviving that first round against McBride was a significant moment in the career of Andrew Golota. Many times in the past, fans have witnessed Golota break-down during any high-pressure moments in a boxing match. Such as in 1996, when Golota had difficulty stopping Riddick Bowe, his frustration turned into low blows, causing a disqualification even as he was winning on the scorecards. This result repeated itself in the Golota/Bowe rematch, when Golota was disqualified for low blows, even though he was on the verge of winning by decision.
The saga of disappointments continued for Golota. In 1999, Golota refused to continue in a match-up with Michael Grant after rising from a knockdown in the 10th round, a bout that Golota was still winning. One year later, Golota quit during another bout. After having difficulty dealing with the aggression of Mike Tyson for two rounds, Golota refused to return for the third round and left the ring for his dressing room.
Finally, after failing to win a title against Chris Byrd and John Ruiz, Golota was given a third consecutive title-shot against Lamon Brewster in 2005. Not only was Golota a betting favorite to defeat Brewster, but the fight would take place in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois at the United Center. This is where the ultimate disappointment took place. Golota was knocked down three times before the bout was called off 53 seconds into the first round.
Indeed, Golota is looking for redemption. Surviving that first round against Kevin McBride last October was definitely a good sign. Golota fans are not used to seeing him overcome pressure during a battle, and it may be a sign that this Polish heavyweight has finally matured as a professional boxer. Whether or not he can survive the wrath of Mollo remains to be seen.
On paper, Golota appears to be the perfect opponent for Mike Mollo (19-1, 12 KOs). Golota has always struggled against big punchers such as Mike Tyson, Lamon Brewster, and Lennox Lewis. That is exactly what Mike Mollo is, a big puncher. A victory over a well-known boxer such as Golota is precisely what Mollo needs, for Mollo has something to prove to his critics as well.
It was a huge step up in competition for Mollo when he was matched up against former title-contender DaVarryl Williamson in 2006. Some said Mollo was being moved up too quickly. Others knew of Williamson’s reputation for having a weak chin, and it was only a matter of landing that big punch. That big punch did not land, and the fight ended in a 4th-round technical knockout of Mollo.
Since his first and only loss, Mollo has been a very busy and determined boxer. He is on a four-fight winning streak, including a knockout over the 305-pound Willie Walker, 25 seconds into the first round. He also scored 2nd-round TKO’s over both Art Binkowski and another familiar name, Kevin McBride. It was after his victory over McBride when Mollo called out Golota, and the match was made shortly afterwards.
If Mollo can get a victory over Golota, it will be easier for his critics to forget about the Williamson bout and see how he handles other high-profile opponents in the division. If Golota can defeat Mollo, it is unlikely that it will help him much in the rankings. On the other hand, it would show that we may have a new Golota among us, not the Golota who we have seen quit, get disqualified or knocked out repeatedly.
Whether the victor is Mollo or Golota, today’s top heavyweights may have a large threat among them. This is good for a division that could use a little extra spice. Certainly, the Golota/Mollo bout is a wonderful appetizer for what the heavyweights have to offer in 2008. Of course, adding flavor to the heavyweight division is adding flavor to boxing. So not only will the winner of Mollo and Golota be closer to redemption, but the sport of boxing could be another step closer to redeeming itself as well.