17.05.05 – Interview by Shane Cullum: On Monday afternoon, I had the pleasure of interviewing WBO Champion Lamon Brewster, who will be defending his title on May 21 against Andrew Golota in Chicago. I’d like to thank Lamon for taking the time to talk with me, and special thanks to Monica Langley for arranging the interview.
First of all, how’s your training going? Are you feeling good and ready for the fight?
Yeah, I’m feeling great. I got a great camp and I’m definitely looking forward to the fight.
You’re with a new trainer, Jesse Reid. What kind of new stuff has he brought to the table? What kind of strategies are you working on for Golota?
You know, he’s just got me using the full potential of my abilities as a fighter. You know, letting my hands go more, not waiting so much, so I’m definitely looking forward to Saturday..
Do you think Golota is going to be your toughest opponent to date? Do you anticipate him being tougher than Wladimir Klitschko and Kali Meehan?
You can’t never say because styles make fights and I don’t know what Golota’s bringing to the table. I’m not expecting anything but the best from Golota, fighting in his back yard, so it’s hard to say.
Does it make you nervous fighting in his hometown, or is that going to kind of boost your confidence?
I think all the pressure’s on him, so, you know…and another thing with me is I’m a man of faith and I just believe that when God is with me, no matter where I’m at, no man can stand against me.
I was going to actually mention you being a man of faith, and you’re known for being very respectful. Even you and Golota have been pretty respectful with each other. What do you think about people like Tyson and Toney and the people who are famous for trash talking?
Well, I just think that every man has to do what works for him and if that’s what James’ method is and Mike Tyson’s method, well you have to respect that because we’re all individuals and if we all were the same, well then I think we’d be boring, even if we were all trash talkers. So, I think that to the extent that it may even all balance out, but you just have to let people be who they are and what they are if that’s what works for them.
What are your thoughts on the whole James Toney steroids fiasco?
Well, it’s really unclear to me because they’re saying, “Well, that was his doctor,” but if indeed he used steroids then it’s a travesty because we’re trying to make steps to go forward in the sport and the last thing we need is Toney to bring us down or to make us take a step back in boxing among all the corruptness that’s already going on. I’m not saying that that’s the case, but whenever you hear “foul play” it’s really a dark cloud on boxing which we have enough dark clouds and we’re trying to bring the sport out as it is.
If you get past Golota, what are your plans for your next fight after him? Don King keeps talking about unifying the tiles, but I don’t see it happening. He just gave Chris Byrd a fight that’s not a unification, and now there’s the whole Toney-Ruiz deal. Do you think unification is going to happen anytime soon?
I think it’s going to happen, but I’m not sure exactly when. As far as I’m concerned, I would like to unify the titles but I definitely have a fight ahead of me that I cannot overlook for one second in Andrew Golota. And I will use the experience that I take from Andrew Golota to better me that much more as a fighter to unify the titles.
Are you worried about something happening to you similar to what has happened to Golota in his last two fights if the fight were to go all 12 rounds? If it was a fight you felt you won, and there was an unjust decision where he got the decision?
Yeah, I think naturally any fighter will be concerned about that whenever you fight a man in his backyard. But I feel as though I’m going to remove the doubt from the mind of the judges that they won’t be able to give me a bad decision, and so with that faith, fight forward.
Do you have a prediction for this fight, as far as when you think it will be stopped?
No, I don’t have a prediction because I want to just let God do his job and I just want to do mine in the ring. I have faith in myself and my abilities and I believe that I will be victorious and it doesn’t matter if it comes…whether it’s a stoppage or if it goes to a decision, but I’ll be victorious.
There have been critics of you who have said that in your last two fights that really both of the wins could be credited to “luck” more than anything else. That you got “lucky” that Wladimir Klitschko punched himself out and you got “lucky” in the decision against Kali Meehan. What do you have to say in response to that?
Well, I guess my response to that is that I don’t believe in luck. I think luck is man-made. I think that every man has his destiny and everything that we do in life, we’re just fulfilling that what God has already written for us. So, once again, I can’t be mad at anybody for what they think or feel. I just allow them their opinions and I’ll take care of my business on Saturday night to take care of my family.
Why do you think going into this fight that you’re the underdog even though you are the reigning champion? Do you think that, again, has to do with it being Golota’s hometown advantage?
Well, a couple reasons. One, is you have to understand that in winning my title against Wladimir Klitschko it wasn’t a fight that I was winning, even though my strategy worked against Wladimir Klitschko and I was successful. And then when I fought Kali Meehan it was a lackluster performance on my behalf, you could say an “off night.” And you have to look at Golota whereas Golota is a fighter and he, his name, has been out there longer than mine in the heavyweight division. So, because of that and because it is his hometown, maybe then you would have to say, “Yes, he is the favorite because Brewster didn’t look good in his last sparring. He didn’t look good when he won the title.”
Golota has fought fights against great fighters like Riddick Bowe. So based on that, you would have to say, “Yes, well, Golota will be my favorite.” I mean, I’m just saying that as a spectator…not trying to be anything more or less; not trying to be confident and say, “Oh yeah, well I think I should be.” Because, you know, none of that is relevant. The only thing that’s relevant is what I do to Golota Saturday night.
I just wanted to get your picks on a couple of upcoming fights: Rahman-Barrett, Hopkins-Taylor. Who do you think is going to come out ahead in those fights?
With Rahman-Barrett, it’s going to be a toss-up and I say that because Rahman has not….well, let me think of how to rephrase this: I think that the one who wants it the most is the one who’s going to win the fight because Rahman sometimes he doesn’t always fight up to his full potential and then Monte Barrett is coming off of a great win so I think that right now his ego must be pretty high; his confidence must be pretty high right now. So, you know, it’s hard to say but I think that is definitely going to be a dynamite fight between two fighters trying to go to the next level. We’ll see how much Rahman really wants to be champion again because I don’t think that Monte Barrett is afraid of him and I think that Monte is going to come in there and give it his all like I’ve seen him do in the past. And the other fight you were talking about?
Hopkins-Taylor?
Oh, I’m sorry, yes. That fight to me is, I think, going to be off of Bernard maybe trying to fight Taylor because Taylor has not yet had that experience and has not yet been in that big of a fight that it could work for Bernard because of his experience getting a guy while he’s young like that. Because fighters have been known to freeze up in big fights when they don’t have that experience of fighting in these kinds of big fights against these veterans. But then on the other hand, Jermain may not even let that worry him. He might just use his youth, he may use his speed, and he may be able to overcome Bernard. So that’s something that’s going to be a very interesting fight and I will definitely be tuned into it.
Is there anyone who you want to call out after Golota? Is there a definite person that you’d like to fight next?
No, I can’t say that because I have a huge task in front of me fighting Andrew Golota in his hometown. Andrew Golota knowing the risks, knowing what he’s up against, knowing that he’s had three title shots in a row, making history. Probably not ever has there been another heavyweight to fight three times in a row for a world title fight. I think he knows at 37 years old that his back is to the wall and he’s fighting in his hometown, so the pressure’s all on him. I’m just looking forward to having a great fight on Saturday night and just letting it all hang out.