Lamon Brewster Upsets Wladimir Klitschko!

April 12, 2004

This guy was a huge underdog going into his fight with former Champion Wladimir Klitschsko for the Heavyweight (WBO BELT) Championship of the World.

These were his last recorded words at a press conference before the fight:

"I recognize most of you, and many of you know my struggle, seen my tears and felt my pain," he said slowly. "This ain't just a fight. This is a fight for my life.

"A lot of you are broke like me. I don't take nothing from this man, but he ain't fought Lamon Brewster. It's hard for me to say what I feel. It's so emotional. So personal. So spiritual.

"It's like two samurai who come to fight. They don't talk. They fight to the death," Brewster said, his voice beginning to crack.

"I'm not like him. I don't have a Ph.D. I have a high school education. I'm 30 and they ain't gonna hire me at McDonald's. I have a family to take care of."

At this point, Brewster broke down for a few seconds before continuing.

"My trainer (Bill Slayton) died last year. I came here when I was 18. I left home and everybody I knew and lived on faith. God told me there was something here and it was Bill. He taught me to believe in myself.

"On his death bed, the only thing he wanted was for me to be heavyweight champ of the world. He lost the use of his legs before he died and he needed morphine just to smile, but that was his last wish. Klitschko's going to have to kill me to beat me!"

Brewster left the podium in tears and had to pace back and forth in a corner of the salon inside the Airport Marriott in order to work off steam. At closer inspection, his face was a mask of rage. It's the only time this internet writer, who's known the fighter since '97, has seen Brewster angry.

It's been almost four years since fight fans have seen Brewster in a televised bout. Maybe this time when they see him, win or lose, they will see the man fight.

FOLLOWUP:

Brewster KOs Klitschko!

Lamon Brewster stopped Wladimir Klitschko to win the WBO heavyweight title Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Resort. Like Corrie Sanders, who stopped Klitschko last year, Brewster came out fast. Klitschko, however, soon began impaling Brewster with his jab and landing occasional hooks. Brewster hurt Klitschko with a left hand in round three but Wladimir came back later with some hard shots. Klitschko floored Brewster in round four with a big right hand, but Lamon somehow made it out of the round. Brewster took tremendous punches from Klitschko in round five, but then suddenly dropped Wladimir with a left hook. Brewster floored Wladimir again at the bell and referee Robert Byrd stopped the fight. Official time: 3:00

*** Squeegees notes:

This is what I love about boxing which still remains one of the purest sports. It's the theatre of the unexpected where one punch can change your destiny.

Edited April 12, 2004 by SQUEEGEE