17.03.07 – By James Slater: Wladimir Klitschko, soon to turn thirty-one years of age, is clearly the best of all current heavyweights boxing in the year 2007. His effortless beat down of mandatory challenger Ray Austin aside, “Dr. Steel Hammer” has bested some fine opposition in his most recent fights. Both Chris Byrd and the then unbeaten Calvin Brock fell inside schedule last year, while power punching Samuel Peter was competently out pointed over twelve rounds in the first of Wladimir’s seriously testing rehabilitation fights, back in 2005. Rehabilitation? Sure..
Wladimir looked all done as recently as April of 2004, when he was stopped at the end of the fifth round of a quite bizarre bout with the ultra-tough Lamon Brewster. Lamon took a hell of a pasting in the earlier rounds, such a pasting in fact, that I’m sure the fight would have been stopped had it taken place in Britain. That it wasn’t, however, was proven to have been the correct call – as “Relentless” came back and stopped an apparently out of gas Klitschko in the fifth.
All sorts of excuses came from Wladimir afterwards. His blood sugar was low, too much Vaseline blocked the pores on his legs and restricted the necessary oxygen flow! And he took the fight too lightly. In truth, he simply punched himself out and was then punched out himself. In the process, Lamon scored the best win of his entire career. But now Wladimir wants to avenge the loss. Vastly reconstructed and improved since that April night, the Ukrainian is the best big man in the sport right now, while Brewster has not been seen in a ring since his last fight – a points loss to under dog Serguei Lyakhovich last April. Retina problems followed and it’s in no way clear just what Lamon has left to offer his sport today.
A rematch would definitely sell, however. As would it be an intriguing prospect. Wladimir banished many demons with the Peter win, getting up from three knockdowns as he did, as well as proving his stamina was good enough to go the full twelve rounds. Now people will want to see if he can avenge the shocking defeat he suffered against Lamon. And Brewster, despite his eye problems, has on his record still the fact that he’s never been stopped in a fight. Can the new and improved Klitschko remove this statistic? The bout is being arranged as we speak, and for Germany – the country that hosted the IBF champion’s defence against Austin, of course. And should the thirty-three year old Brewster be willing to travel, the rematch would in
all probability sell out any arena available in Deutschland.
Let’s face it, Lamon hasn’t much thinking to do. With his own career looking almost as diminished as Wladimir’s had when he shocked him in Vegas, Lamon’s decision on whether or not to take the fight is a no-brainer. What else is there out there for him? Since his upset loss in the gruelling fight with Lyakhovich – the man Shannon Briggs knocked clean out of the ring – Lamon has been somewhat old news. If the condition of his eyesight is not as bad as some have written, though, he could well put himself back in the headlines. Win or lose in a return with Klitschko, the fight will more than likely provide him with a great payday too. Whereas if he can defy the odds once again and KO Wladimir a second time he’s right back on top of the world.
If he can appease any medical examiners he has to face, and should terms be agreed by all to make the fight, Lamon deserves the chance. As does Wladimir to get his revenge. It just might be that Klitschko-Brewster II is the best heavyweight fight of 2007.