ADAMEK VS. GOLOTA: WHO'S TOO LEGIT TO QUIT?

BetUS Boxing Betting Odds

October 24 - Poland

IBF International Heavyweight Title

TOMASZ ADAMEK -500
ANDREW GOLOTA +350

For betting purposes, let's take a look at the contestants:

boxing betting odds, moves up in weight to face Andrew Golota, and it's really his first legitimate foray into the heavyweight division. Adamek turned pro back in March of 1999 with a first-round TKO of Israel Khumalo in England. After ten fights he was ready to move up to main events, and his ten-round win over Rudi Lupo brought him the IBC Intercontinental title. He continued to labor in relative obscurity until getting himself a title shot against Paul Briggs in May of 2005. In that fight he won a majority decision to capture the WBC light heavyweight title. Adamek defended that crown with a KO of the capable Thomas Ulrich and a decision in the rematch with Briggs, then lost it on a one-sided decision to Chad Dawson.

It was then that he decided to move up to the cruiserweight division, and he moved quickly, stopping O'Neill Bell in April 2008 to earn himself a shot at Steve Cunningham's IBF title. That fight was an interesting one, as Adamek took a split decision over Cunningham and captured the crown. He's defended twice - against Johnathon Banks (TKO-8) on February 27 and Bobby Gunn (TKO-4) on July 11.

ANDREW GOLOTA (41-7-1, 33 KO's), the +350 underdog at BetUS, has been through his share of drama, after winning a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics. Golota turned pro in February of 1992 with a third-round TKO of Roosevelt Shuler. Golota won his first 28 fights, being handled rather carefully the whole time, but he registered a win over Danell Nicholson in March of 1996 that led him into a bout with Riddick Bowe, who was the former heavyweight champ. Golota gave a beating to Bowe, and was ahead on the scorecards after seven rounds but wound up being disqualified by illegal blows, after which a riot ensued. Essentially the same thing happened in the rematch, as Golota was ahead on the scorecards before being disqualified.

Despite these defeats, Golota, got a shot at Lennox Lewis' WBC crown less than a year later, and was knocked out in one round. After a series of wins, Golota moved back into the spotlight when he knocked down Michael Grant twice in the first round, only to quit after being floored in the tenth round. Golota quit again a few fights later, this time against Mike Tyson, and he did so almost without explanation. Tyson tested positive for marijuana after the fight, which made it a no contest. From April of 2004 to May of 2005, Golota fought three straight times for titles, first getting a draw against Chris Byrd, then losing a decision to John Ruiz and getting stopped in one round by Lamon Brewster. Golota stayed out of the ring for two years, for various reasons, then came back with wins over Kevin McBride and Mike Mollo, but choked again in his last fight with Ray Austin. He was knocked down two seconds into the fight, then quit after the first round, complaining about a "biceps injury." He may have gotten a title shot against Nicolay Valuev if he had won. It's now been almost a year since he fought.