BREWSTER WANTS KLITSCHKO, IGNORES ODDS

Growing up in Indianapolis, the heartland of America, Lamon Brewster showed as a teenager versatility for almost any sport he fancied.

This eight-year-old Hoosier, whose temper sometimes had a short fuse, didn’t make a huge transition as an athlete until his mother enrolled him in a boxing gym.

The Riverside gym in the Capital City had a reputation where instructors adroitly showed sullen students how to punch accurately with gloves on.

Basically, Mrs. Brewster wanted her son to channel his aggression in the right direction. Though pleased, the prudent mother never dreamed how far the Karma of her oldest of four siblings would take him to a high seat in professional sports.

Boxing’s heavyweight division is wide open, but this week the 30-year-old Brewster will be a prominent long-shot with the media at the Mandalay Bay Events Center where he will challenge former champion Wladimar Klitschko for the vacant WBO crown with HBO televising from Las Vegas.

Although Brewster has done it with his fists in becoming the WBO’s No.1 contender, he knows the traffic is crowded with “thank you” people who have kept him dedicated every step of the way.

“Growing up in Indy, I was like every kid trying to play all sports, including music and serious chess. When my mother sent me to Riverside, I met a true role model in Bill Brown, who was 80 then and a great trainer and a one-time stable-mate of Jack Dempsey. I guess the change started when I was in the eighth grade and one day John Long of the NBA Indiana Pacers came to visit Brown’s class,” Brewster reflected.

“By now, I was doing well in football, swimming, and
boxing. But what I’ll never forget was the Pacers’ star
telling us, ‘If a person is good in many things, but if he
narrows his focus down to one, he can be great.’ I kept what I learned in chess but I gave up football and swimming. I used the skills Brown taught me and by the time I was 15, I was fighting adults in the amateurs.”

In 1991, Brewster, now over 200 pounds, established a permanent home in Los Angeles and got a super chance when Bill Slayton took over as his trainer. It was a solid union as the legendary Slayton had Lamon winning the California Golden Gloves heavyweight crown in 1992 and ‘93. The Indy traveler capped it 1995 when he won the U.S. National title and a silver medal the same year in the Pan American Games.

When Slayton turned him pro Nov.8, 1996, Brewster started off chilling Moses Harris in one round and added five first round kayos in his first seven pro starts.

Brewster’s first emotional setback as a pro came earlier this year when Slayton, who took Ken Norton to the WBC heavyweight crown in 1977, died earlier this year from a heart attack.

“Needless to say, this fight is dedicated to my late trainer, Bill Slayton, who expired several months ago. He was one of boxing’s top conditioners, a wonderful
man, and a great friend. Everything I learned about boxing and in life, I owe to Bill. I feel his presence all the time and I know he will be in my corner April 10.”

When Slayton died, his protégé, Shadeed Saluki, took over conditioning Brewster while Hollywood producer Sam Simon, one of the creators of “The Simpsons”, is managing.

Brewster, with his 29-2, 26 K0s resume, has the ultimate respect for Klitschko and his 42-2, 39 K0s record and anticipates “nothing less than a great fight”.

“Two heavy punchers who want the WBO crown and for me, this is a fight I have waited for a long time. I can’t and do not want to take anything away from Klitschko....he is what he is, but don’t forget I am a good, fast American fighter who is not afraid to punch back,” said the transplanted Hoosier.

“I’m not going to make a prediction. I am not going to say I am going to knock him out, but if the knockout comes, it comes and I will be looking for it. I don’t think Klitschko has ever faced a body puncher like me. I know he is a big favorite with the Nevada bookies but I don’t, but I don’t care about the odds, or what the media or people say. I try not to fall or worry about what people think about me. Or what they say I can or cannot do.”

Brewster, who comes in with the NABO and WBC American heavyweight belts, has told the media “I feel like I am on a mission.”

“I came to California when I was 18 with nothing
but a pair of boxing gloves and a dream. Now my dream is about to come true. If I perform up to my capabilities, which I expect to do, I will win. Let’s face it. Klitschko is a European boxer. He has power, yes, but he has never faced anybody that has the kind of speed and power that I have. I have nothing to lose. I do know that if he hits me, he better expect to get hit back. I am in great shape, very determined and anxious to go.”

Brewster, who has never been stopped, has lost only two 10-round decisions after 23 straight victories through 1999.

The Indiana transplant’s first lost was on national television May 6, 2000 in Pittsburgh, Pa., when Clifford “The Black Rhino” Etienne moved to 15-0, 11 KOs.

“I rushed out of my corner shooting for my 13th first round stoppage. I did not fight my fight against Etienne and it was a mistake. I played right into his hands and I let my ego get the best of me when I tried to knock him out. I will learn from that fight,” said Brewster whose eye was cut in the third round by the heavy exchanges.

Bouncing back, Brewster chilled Val Smith in one round Sept.24, 2000 in West Wendover, NV, and
then was upset by Charles Shufford in 10 on Oct.21, 2000 in Detroit. Shufford, out of Las Vegas, employed an 80-inch reach to keep Brewster off balance. It was a tough fight and the latter took a year off before returning to resume his winning ways with five straight knockouts.

(Jack Welsh is a syndicated columnist headquartered in Vegas and is a regular contributor to Ringsports. Com and other popular sports publications.)