Golota Wins in Ring Return

Heavyweight Andrew Golota (39-6-1) was back in the ring for the first time in over two years and it took him less than two rounds to dispatch with journeyman Jeremy Bates (21-14-1). Golota appeared fit but showed some ring rust in round one. In the second round, Golota landed a left-right combination that dropped Bates. Once Bates rose to his feet the referee briefly stopped the action to have a look at a cut over his right eye. When the fight resumed, Golota staggered Bates with another hard left-right combo and the fight was over. Bates also lost by second round TKO in a comeback bout for Evander Holyfield on August 18, 2006.

Golota, 39, had been out of the ring since a first-round stoppage at the hands of Lamon Brewster on May 21, 2005. Golota remains a big enough name in the division that a few more wins could result in another title shot.

In the main event in Katowice, Poland, former light heavyweight champ Tomasz Adamek (32-1) moved up to cruiserweight and stopped Luis Pineda (21-6) in seven one-sided rounds.