WBC #7, WBA #6 and IBF #10 heavyweight contender Andrew Golota describes some of his training routine as he prepares to meet Ray Austin in the Don King-promoted show in China on November 7.
Q: Where do you train?
Golota: Chicago, Veteran’s Gym. Two Sherman tanks from World War II stand in front.
Q: Describe your routine?
Golota: Warm-up first, shadow box, sparring, the routine is not the same every day. Sometimes we do pads, some days we hit the bags, some days sparring. I run every day, between three to six, seven, eight miles. After the workout I always do stretching.
Q: Do you do long runs or sprints?
Golota: Long runs in the beginning. Up to seven, eight miles. Do sprints three to four weeks before the fight. Combination of sprint, run, sprint, run.
Q: How much sparring do you do for a ten round fight?
Golota: Up to ten. Do once ten rounds.
Q: Lift weights? If so, what exercises do you do?
Golota: Yeah, a little bit. Too late for heavy lifting. I did it before. I did it earlier.
Q: Do you ever skip workouts?
Golota: When I train very hard. The next day I go easy. Usually never do it (skip a workout).
Q: Do you employ any unusual training methods?
Golota: Sometimes Sam (Colonna) has his stuff. Trainer does some different stuff, different techniques.
Q: How important is pad-work or mitts in your preparation?
Golota: That’s what it is – something different. It’s different technique, different variety pads give you. I sort of avoid pads, it’s too easy to hit pads. Trainer gives you angles, makes it easy to hit it. Trainer actually helps you.
Q: Did you ever have a weakness that you strengthened through hard work?
Golota: Let me tell you something. When I was amateur, I was beautiful on mitts. I did beautiful work on mitts. I couldn’t understand why I couldn’t do the same in sparring. I was so quick on the pads because it was too easy.
Q: What type of other bags do you use, heavy, double end speed bag?
Golota: Heavy bag – endurance. Hit tons of heavy bag. Give you tons of endurance. (How many rounds?) As many as I could. (Double-end bag?) No. (Speed bag?) Yes.
Q: Next opponent in China is Ray Austin. What do you think of this guy?
Golota: Whatever he comes with. Nobody’s seen this guy much.