Adamek Will Face Golata for Polish Bragging Rights on Saturday

On Saturday, the current best Polish IBF cruiserweight champion Tomasz Adamek will go up in weight to the heavyweight class to face the last big Polish sensation in boxing, Andrew Golota, in Poland at the Atlas Arena in Lodz.

Adamek 38 (26)-1 has an impressive record, with big wins over Steven Cunningham and probably the last great light heavyweight title fight we have seen in years, with a win over Paul Briggs. Adamek's only loss came at the hands of undefeated light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson. In that fight, Adameks heavy hands knocked the faster elusive Dawson down to the canvas.

After Adamek's loss, he campaigned at the higher cruiserweight division and captured the IBF cruiserweight title with a decision win over Cunningham following a tear through the weight class.

Adamek has been steadily gaining recognition as the best Polish boxer in the sport. That recognition may have played a part as to why the match makers have made this fight in order to determine if Adamek can defeat Golota, the last Polish sensation in boxing.

Golata 41 (33)-7-1 was best known when he was in his prime in the '90s, and blowing his chances at easily defeating a prime Riddick Bowe by disqualifying himself after repeated low blows to the crotch region of Bowe.

Many people forget that Golata was actually a great fighter with good skills and power. Up to that point he was undefeated and knocked out virtually everyone who was standing in his way for a heavyweight title. Had he not intentionally hit Riddick below the belt in a fight where he was clearly winning almost every single round, he would have gone on to become a legitimate heavyweight champion and not a so called "great white hype."

It is the same hype that so many other white heavyweight boxers fell into who were ultimately exposed for the lack of skill and talent that they were promoted and hyped to live up to.

So now in 2009, Golata is 41 years old and has experienced seven losses and four KO's since his prime '90s days. Although anyone who knows how to score a fight knew he defeated John Ruiz in 2004.

After knocking Ruiz down twice, he should have been crowned the WBA heavyweight champion that night. But the point is this is not the same Golata who was champion material who made me proud of being from Chicago as well (Golata's adopted hometown outside of Poland).

Golata stands at 6' 4" and weighed in at 256 pounds Friday.

Adamek who is clearly more so in his prime at the age of 32, stands at 6'1" giving up 3 inches in height to Golata and weighed in at 214 pounds.

Despite Adamek never fighting above 200 pounds, he is the clear betting favorite as most have him listed at -400 to Golata at +300.

Many are criticizing Adamek for going up to heavyweight, and they are saying he is not  a true heavyweight for he is too small. Well I guess we will have to see what the results are Saturday and maybe get an answer to who is the better Polish boxer in the sport.