Lewis Favored To Beat Golota In Wbc Title Fight

Lennox Lewis is a slight favorite to beat Andrew Golota in Atlantic City, N.J., Saturday night. There are no odds offered on the chances of Golota giving away the fight.

Golota was beating Riddick Bowe when he was disqualified in the seventh round for repeated low blows July 11, 1996, in Madison Square Garden. He was beating Bowe again when he was disqualified in the ninth round Dec. 14 in the Atlantic City Convention Center.

Golota, a native of Poland who lives in Chicago, is a man of few words. He needed only two after the Bowe rematch to sum up his behavior in the ring.

“I stupid,” he said.

In the mysterious ways of boxing, however, Golota ended up getting a shot at the WBC heavyweight title held by Lewis because Golota’s fight against Ray Mercer scheduled for Aug. 16 was canceled when Mercer injured his neck.

Not only is Golota getting a title shot, his notoriety is such that the fight Saturday night in the Convention Center is being carried on pay-per-view, including TCI in Spokane, for $39.95.

Besides the WBC title, also possibly at stake for the winner is a match against the winner of the Nov. 8 fight between WBA champion Evander Holyfield and IBF champion Michael Moorer.

The debate over boxing headgear has flared anew following the death of journeyman boxer Johnny Montantes in a Las Vegas ring.

Montantes’ wife called for headgear following the Sunday death of her husband, who was knocked out by James Crayton in the sixth round of their junior welterweight fight.