‘Foul Pole’ remains fairly unpredictable

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, June 14, 2000 | 9:53 a.m.

However unofficial the moniker, Andrew Golota has one of the great nicknames in sports.

Boxing fans everywhere know him as the "Foul Pole," a disqualification-prone heavyweight whose transgressions have kept him from reaching the top of the division.

A native of Warsaw, Poland, but a resident of Chicago for almost a decade, Golota is a tough guy with a temper. More than once he has lost his composure and unraveled in the ring.

"I have a bad reputation, a bad reputation," Golota said Tuesday before working out at the Academy of Fighting Arts center in an industrial warehouse near Sunset and Eastern. He's in Las Vegas for a Friday fight with Orlin Norris at Mandalay Bay.

"It bothers me a little bit," he said of his public persona, one built on consecutive DQ losses to Riddick Bowe in 1996 and reinforced by his quitting in the 10th round despite being well ahead of Michael Grant in a fight last November.

Throw in a quick one-round loss to heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis in 1997 amid allegations of receiving improper medication prior to the fight, and Golota stands as one of the most unpredictable fighters of this or any other era.

"This is his last hurrah," said his trainer, Al Certo, who has worked with Golota for six months. "If I can't help him, no one can. If this doesn't work, he can get a job washing cars."

Golota hears the ultimatum yet offers no response. He's quiet, reserved. Maybe he's contemplating the training session he's about to begin but he's keeping his comments to a minimum.

"I'm not a dirty fighter," he eventually offers, before adding his own bit of levity. "I take a shower every day."

Here's what he really is: A competent, if roughhousing, heavyweight who stands just off the pace and just outside the sport's mega-riches. He's fighting Norris in something of a middle-rung collision that will be televised by the Showtime cable network.

Neither a large crowd nor a great fight is expected, yet Golota has to win to stay within hailing distance of the big names in the division.

"How could he not be in the picture?" Certo asked rhetorically. "He belongs up among the very best and he's a fighter most fans would like to see become champion. He's the only legitimate white contender out there."

Golota, 32, is 35-4 with 28 knockouts in a professional career that dates from 1992. A bronze medalist for Poland in the 1988 Olympics, he has a name recognition and a fighting style that would endear him to fans if only he could win a major bout.

In his first fight with Bowe, in New York City, he was penalized three times and disqualified for repeated low blows. A small riot ensued.

In the Atlantic City rematch five months later, Golota had Bowe on the canvas twice and virtually out on his feet when still another low blow ended the fight in the ninth round. That miscue, combined with two others earlier in the fight, led to Golota being disqualified yet again.

He failed to redeem himself in his fight with Lewis in Atlantic City, and then seemingly had Grant beaten in that Atlantic City fight before inexplicably capitulating. Ahead on the judges' cards by 7, 5 and 2 points through nine rounds, Golota replied "No" when the referee asked him if he wanted to continue following a standing eight-count he received in the 10th.

He has since rebounded to win a virtually meaningless fight with Marcus Rhode in April in China.

"People will always complain," Golota said of his reputation. "But boxing is boxing, you know."

Certo takes a more realistic approach, saying "if he can stay focused in the ring and show more desire in his fights, he can go as far as he wants."

Golota shouldn't have too much trouble with Norris, a veteran with a 50-5 record who is coming off a no-decision with Mike Tyson last October in Las Vegas. At this point in his career Norris is best known for his durability, in spite of the fact many observers believe he quit and feigned a knee injury rather than endure more than one round with Tyson.

"I don't know him," Golota said of Norris. When asked a follow-up question on whether he saw Norris' fight with Tyson, Golota said "Yes, but there wasn't much fight there."

Certo sees what's at stake -- a future fight with Tyson isn't out of the question -- and would like to see Golota realize his full potential.

"Just watching from a distance it disturbed me to see a guy wasting so much talent," he said. "Andrew can still do anything he puts his mind to in this game."