Golota Wonders How High After Often Going So Low

He walked out of Madison Square Garden Thursday afternoon, then disappeared into the crowd on Seventh Avenue, vanishing into a sea of dark business suits.

Andrew Golota might have returned to the scene of the crime, but nobody seemed to notice or care.

That was in sharp contrast to his last exit from the Garden, when New York police shielded him from an angry mob. That was July 11, 1996, after Golota had thrown a series of low blows at Riddick Bowe.

In the resulting turmoil, Bowe was left writhing on the canvas, a Bowe corner man was smacking Golota over the head with a cellphone, fans were overturning tables and chairs, and Lou Duva, Golota’s trainer, was being carried out in a state of collapse.

“It was kind of different,” Golota said of that chaotic evening.

He was back at the Garden to weigh in for Saturday night’s International Boxing Federation heavyweight title fight against champion Chris Byrd. It is one of two heavyweight title fights on the card. In the other, World Boxing Assn. champion John Ruiz will defend his title against Fres Oquendo.

After Golota’s stormy exit eight years ago, there were predictions that he would never again be allowed in the Garden.

But time and tragedy have rendered that night little more than a curiosity. A city that has endured Sept. 11 isn’t going to concern itself about a boxer’s dirty tactics.

Besides, as Golota’s career continued, he was no longer seen as evil but rather as erratic.

Golota appeared to have taken control of the fight against Bowe in the fourth round when he was penalized a point for a low blow. Then a second point was deducted for another low blow in the sixth round and, finally, a third point was taken away in the seventh round, resulting in an automatic disqualification.

Golota’s performance was depicted by his people as an out-of-character aberration. He trained for the rematch by flailing away at a trunks-wearing punching bag. Golota aimed his punches above the waistband, swinging away hour after hour.

Then, in the rematch five months later, Golota, after knocking Bowe down twice, was again disqualified for low blows.

Other embarrassments followed for Golota, and by 2001, he was out of boxing.

Then he walked into the Windy City gym in Chicago one day and told Sam Colonna, his first trainer, that he wanted to get back into boxing.

Colonna had his doubts.

“But he started working ... and I thought, ‘Hey, he’s serious about this,’ ” Colonna said.

Golota returned to the gym at a flabby 250 pounds. He weighed in Thursday at a lean-looking 237 1/2.

Golota, 36, has knocked out the two journeymen he has faced in his comeback but just because his body appears ready, that doesn’t mean he is back mentally. Colonna says his fighter’s affinity for low blows could return at any time.

“I know that look better than anybody else,” Colonna said. “I can see it in his face. I can see it in his expression. Something clicks in his head. I just hope I can talk him out of it if it happens.”

Golota says he is excited to be back in the Garden.

“This is a great city, the city that never sleeps,” he said. “People come here to watch boxing, not to tear things up. Their main thing is to watch boxing.”

So if boxing is what Golota gives them, there should be no problem. But if he gets that expression on his face ...