Golota May Take Pay Cut for Quitting Tyson Fight
Tuesday December 5 1:26 PM ET
By John Phillips
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Heavyweight Andrew Golota, widely reviled for quitting against Mike Tyson in October, is expected this week to agree to a 10 percent reduction in his $2 million purse from Showtime, the pay-per-view broadcaster of the bout.
A source close to the negotiations told Reuters that Golota was forced to take the pay cut because Showtime thought Golota, who quit after the second round, had violated the part of his contract that called for a ``good faith'' effort.
But Golota, whose purse has been withheld, and his promoter, Main Events, insist that the Polish fighter quit because he had been injured in the Oct. 20 fight in the Detroit suburb of Auburn Hills.
Golota was knocked down in the first round, and although he got up and fought a second round without apparent serious injury, his doctor said Golota had suffered a brain concussion, a fractured cheekbone and a herniated disk in his neck.
There have been no formal charges by either Showtime or by Michigan boxing officials involving Golota quitting.
Showtime, citing confidentiality, Tuesday declined to comment on the long negotiations over Golota's paycheck.
But Golota's trainer, Al Certo, told Reuters Monday, ``it's $1.8 million.''
Certo has been outspoken in his criticism of the delay in paying Golota, as the trainer in turn has to wait for his 1O percent cut of the Polish fighter's purse.
Golota's attorney, Tom DiBiase, said that Golota could approve the new deal this week. DiBiase would not comment on the negotiations other than to say they were over Golota's purse and options Showtime had on the fighter's future bouts.
A source close to the negotiations said Showtime has declined to pick up options on Golota's future fights.
Pat English, a lawyer for Main Events, said he was told an agreement in principle had been reached with Showtime for the full $2 million.
But Certo dismissed the idea that after weeks of negotiations Golota would receive the entire purse. ``What, all of a sudden they're gonna say I'll give you two million?''
Trainer Says Golota Performed
In an interview before the apparent settlement had been reached, the 72-year-old Certo, a former fighter who has been involved with boxing for 52 years, said of Golota: ``He performed. Maybe not to the best of (Showtime's) liking. But he showed up for the fight and he was in there.''
Tyson was reported to have received $10 million for the non-title fight.
Tyson's people, including Showtime, had hoped the bout would re-establish the former champion as the sport's top draw. But the brief fight did not allow Tyson to demonstrate the condition of his skills. And poor pay-per-view sales tarnished the former champion's reputation as an automatic big draw.
Showtime put the number of sales at 450,000. But a source closely involved with monitoring the sales put them at only 320,000. In either case, the fight fell far short of promoters' hopes for at least 800,000 buys.
Certo confirmed that Golota had wanted to quit after the first round of the fight.
But Certo said he told him, ``'you're gonna win this fight. You're gonna go out there and win it. Get out there.' ``I shoved the mouthpiece in his mouth, and we pushed him out and he was all right.''
But before the third round began, Golota, refused to let Certo insert the mouthpiece. Then Golota told the referee he was quitting and stalked out of the ring as fans booed him and threw beer and soda on him.
Certo, who along with many people involved with the fight has severely castigated Golota for quitting and dismissed his claim of injuries, softened his view as he waited to get paid.
Who Can Say He Wasn'T Hurt
``Who am I, who are you, to say he wasn't hurt?'' said Certo. ''Who am I to say, 'hey, he should have gone further?'
``Do they tell you how much of a punch you're supposed to take? How hard of a punch? You know they can't determine that.''
Besides, says Certo, just before the fight an executive involved with the promotion whom Certo declined to name came ''running into the dressing room'' and said, '''Jeez, I'd be happy if we get two or three good rounds out of it.'
``Golota gave him two rounds,'' Certo said.
In the run-up to the fight, Showtime executives said they were pleased to have the media speculate about what mayhem could ensue when Golota and Tyson fought. Showtime internally had bandied about suggestions to call the fight, ``Anything Can Happen'' or simply, ``Tick, Tick, Tick.''
After all, Tyson is the infamous ear biter and has committed other ring infractions. And Golota quit in a fight he was winning after getting knocked down but apparently not badly injured in the 10th round against Michael Grant in November 1999. Golota also lost two consecutive big fights against Riddick Bowe for low blows.
``Maybe he could have gone further,'' Certo now says of Golota against Tyson. ``I don't know. But if he felt that he was hurt enough to quit he was hurt enough to quit, and he should have been paid on that decision.
``It doesn't stipulate that he has to die in the ring or he has to take 'X' amount of punches before he gets his $2 million.'' |
