Am I wrong in thinking Golota could have given Lewis serious problems?

Golota got destroyed of course but is there a world where he doesn't get KO'd in the first round and manages to make it a fight and beats the crap out of Lewis? Lewis straight right hands are probably always going to land and get the KO but I just think Golota was looking like an animal in those Bowe fights. Very good jab, very good chin, combination punching, good athleticism, guy was bending at the knees, slipping and rolling shots quite well, holding his own on the inside with Bowe and getting the better of it. Crappy mentality though. He was throwing low blows to catch a break and the pressure of Bowe was intense in both fights. I was just rewatching the Golota Bowe fights and Lampley and Merchant and pretty much in agreement that Golota is probably the number #1 heavyweight in the world after their first fight. It's weird to think that was the concensus thought at that point. I think he has the potential to give Lewis tons of problems but at the same time I can't see him avoiding the right hands. I think he doesn't get enough respect. Maybe he only had a two fight prime where he fucked it up with low blows.

Bowe deserves tons of credit for those fights. Showed a huge heart but they essentially ended his career.

 

Yes, you're wrong.

Lewis had a lot more firepower than Bowe. Golota never beats him.

 

Clearly, Andrew Golota Possessed the TALENT and TEMPERAMENT to Be Considerably Better than He Wound Up Being, But the MENTAL Component is Part of WHO Golota Is/Was...

Just as SPEED Was Part of WHO Roy Jones Was, FEROCITY Was Part of WHO Roberto Duran Was & LAZY Ass Training Habits Was Part of WHO James Toney Was, Golota Usually FOUND a Way to Shit the Bed Mentally, to the Detriment of His Record and Boxing Career...That's WHO Golota Was...

To Your Point, Golota Came INTO the Lennox Fight SKITTISH, Lennox JUMPED On Him Early, Church...Hypothetically, Yes, Golota Could've Performed BETTER w/a CLEAN Mental Slate, But Even @ his BEST, In the Bowe Bouts, Golota ATE His Fair Share of Shots...Even Got Dropped in the RE w/Bowe...

That DOESN'T Bode Well for ANY Version of Golota BEATING Lennox, in REED's Opinion...




REED

 

On top of being a bigger puncher than Bowe, Lewis was also a far better finisher than Bowe. Lewis is probably the 3rd best finisher in heavyweight history behind Louis and Tyson.

If Bowe was an all time great finisher, he'd have put Golota away in the rematch, because he had him nearly out at one point. When Lewis had guys seriously hurt, he never let them off the hook.

 

Ill say that, the golota of the bowe fights was so much better than the "golota who couldn't threw a left hook" thAt we saw afterward. Rewatched these fights not long ago, and was surprised at how good and ferocious he was

 

Could he trouble Lewis, i guess so, but still that right hand lands sooner rather than later

 

As REED said, it's all mental with Golota and nothing would EVER EVER change that.

He wasn't scared of Bowe and Grant, and therefore, he performed well (yet still lost).

He was terrified of Lewis and Tyson, thus fell apart against them. Nothing would ever change that.

He gets annihilated by Lewis 100/100 times. You cant change his mental state.

 

Dunno about Lewis but I think in my mind I'd favor peak Golota over HW champion Usyk

 

On paper, he had the physical attributes to be competitive, but boxing is 90 percent mental as they say.

Even if Lewis had started slow that night, at some point that right hand was gonna land. And when it lands, Golota will absolutely fall apart.

Lewis always KOs Golota.

 

He could trouble him but I think Usyk’s movement and hand speed would frustrate Golota.

 

I'm actually with Dog.

I don't think Usyk could keep off the 96 Golota at all.

Don't forget, even a shot Golota outboxed Byrd and got robbed.

Usyk's style is favorable for Golota.

It's guys like Lewis, Tyson, and prime Foreman who would be a nightmare for Golota, cause he'd be scared of shitless of them.

 

I don’t get what people see in Usyk at heavyweight. Sure he’s skilled, but if Joshua weren’t so mental he would’ve beaten him..

Golota would’ve knock him out in 5-7 rounds.

 

My dude Wilder will destroy Usyk…and the intermediate fat Mexican…Rios? Garcia? The one that beat Joshua the first time…would beat Usyk…yeah I said it,

 

I don’t know why Fury is being such a bitch about fighting him….

 

Prime golota wrecks usyk imo

 

I thought at the time that Golota would, at the very least, give Lennox a good fight. But unfortunately he was just too much of an unpredictable headcase. Always choking away wins, or in this case (maybe also against Lamon), freezing up and getting caught early.

 

Wilder won't beat shit.

 

I think Usyk schools Wilder. Gap in ability is bigger than Wilder’s height advantage.

 

It's all styles. Golota would have beaten Usyk. Usyk would beat Wilder. But I'd pick Wilder to beat Golota because I think Andrew would be intimidated and get caught by Wilder's right hand.

 

I mean Wilder could ponderously plod forward and get completely out-boxed for 10 rounds by Usyk until he lands the windmill and it's over

Wilder is 100% landing a brutal windmill on Golota

 

I don't think Golota could have beaten Usyk. I do agree that stylistically he would pose big problems in the first half, but Usyk's constant pressure on the lead foot would have Golota sucking air and ready to quit by the championship rounds. I'm absolutely sure of it.

 

Id like to see a bit more of usyk before assessing his chances against a guy like golota. He looked very average against chisora, and while the 2 aj wins are great, aj isa gigantic robot full of flaws

 

Wilder most likely would stop Golota at some point. Maybe Golota freezes up and gets stopped early.

If not, he does well for awhile but eventually implodes. For all his flaws, Wilder does have a fighting heart in the ring. Rising from multiple KDs in the Fury fights, rallying to beat Ortiz after being hurt in the first fight. With Golota’s poor finishing skills, I’d say Wilder survives an onslaught or 2 and stops Golota/makes Golota quit later on.

 

How would AJ do against Golota? I think that one’s compelling given their flaws.

 

I think Wilder would eventually get to Golota at some point and lay him out with a big right hand.

 

Unless there was a title on the line, then Golota would blow it.

 

Sure is.
Golota from the bowe fights win. Any other version finds a way to lose

 

I'd take the 96 Golota to batter AJ.

 

There’s not a single fighter mentioned in this thread who I would pick Golota over. Not one.

His mental fragility trumps his physical capabilities every time.

I’m not saying he couldn’t give some of those fighters problems but he would find a way to blow it.

If he could find a way to lose to Michael Grant then why would anyone think he could beat anyone else?

 

Lewis, nah....but his fight with Tyson could have been alot more interesting