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05/19/2005 Archived Entry: "Brewster, Man of God, Entertains, Trains and Explains at ‘Warehouse Gym’ as Championship Fight with Golota Approaches!"
Brewster, Man of God, Entertains, Trains and Explains at ‘Warehouse Gym’ as Championship Fight with Golota Approaches!
By Juan C. Ayllon
WBO Heavyweight Champ Lamon Brewster and a young fan
For we know all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.
--Romans 8:28
“I didn’t ask for the gift to be a boxer. If I had my preference, I’d be a runner, a scholar or anything else…I wouldn’t say, ‘Lord, I want somebody to hit me.’ I’m not stupid! I’d say, ‘Let me be Donald Trump, a real estate magnate.’”
--Lamon Brewster, WBO Heavyweight Champion of the World
“Tell him that my wife and I will be at ringside cheering for him. He’s gonna knock Golota out! Even though it’s in our back yard, I’m pulling for him. He’s a worthy champion. Tell him I’ll see him in his dressing room before the fight.”
--Fres Oquendo, heavyweight contender
HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS, May 18, 2005 – Just days away from his title defense against the odds-on favorite, the hulking and dangerous, if unpredictable Polish juggernaut Andrew Golota, the surprisingly relaxed and jovial W.B.O. Heavyweight Champion of the World, Lamon Brewster, treated roughly 75 boxing fans to a pleasant autograph session at the well-equipped Warehouse Gym and Boxing Club.
As his trainer, highly acclaimed trainer Jesse Reid looked on, Brewster cheerfully greeted, granted autographs for and took pictures with delighted fans, some who waited a good half hour to spend a few minutes with the champ.
In a metropolis famed for it’s “Second City” status, Chicago is second only to Warsaw in population of Polish constituents. Thus, it should come as no surprise that famed promoter Don King—who lately seems to be making a habit of hosting championship bouts in the hometown of one of it’s principals—pulled off a major coup in securing an unprecedented third title shot in a row for the ever-popular Pole, Andrew Golota, in the Windy City, his adopted home.
Jessie Reid (far right) looks on as Brewster signs autographs
Looking on proudly as visitors fawned over his charge, Jesse Reid said of his volatile, 6’ 4” and 238-pound opponent, Andrew Golota (38-5-1, 31 KO’s), “Either he’s going to quit or he’s going to get knocked dead. If anyone’s taking this fight lightly, they’re going to be surprised. Lamon is prepared. This fight ain’t going to a decision. Golota’s going to sleep!”
Golota took the fight world by storm in July of 1996 when as a relatively unknown fighter with a 28-1-0 record, he surprisingly out-boxed and roughed up, but inexplicably fouled out in the seventh round against then formidable heavyweight Champion Riddick Bowe by repeatedly hitting him low. A riot, and then a rematch, ensued. In December of 1996, Golota doled out an even worse systematic beating, which arguably ruined Bowe as a fighter for all practical purposes and left him slurring his words thereafter. However, once again, Golota fouled out, this time in the ninth round!
In his next bout against WBC Champion Lennox Lewis on October 4, 1997, Golota quite literally froze up and was frightfully knocked out at 1:35 into round one. Seven fights later on November 20, 1999, Golota twice knocked down rising prospect Michael Grant in the first round and was soundly trouncing him, but inexplicably quit as Grant surged in the later rounds, telling the ref he didn’t want any more after rising from a knockdown in the 10th round.
Then, in his bout against Mike Tyson in October of 2000, following a shaky first round in which he was knocked down, Golota landed a solid right hand that gave Tyson pause in the second round, gaining him momentary respect. Just as the bout looked to be interesting, Golota went berserk and quit between rounds two and three, forcing a TKO loss—which, coincidentally, was later was ruled “No Contest” after Tyson tested positive for ingesting marijuana.
Fast forward to the year 2004: in April, he suffered a controversial draw decision to IBF Heavyweight Champion, Chris Byrd, a bout which many saw a resurgent Golota winning; in November, he lost a unanimous decision to WBC Champ, John Ruiz after bludgeoning him to the canvas several times, but virtually gave away the last four rounds. This was a new, self-controlled Golota, or so they said, a champ in the making at age 37.
Contrast that to the relatively stable and devout Christian, Lamon Brewster (31-2-0, 27 KO’s). At 31 years of age, critics say that he waits to get hit before hitting back and, in the process, takes too much punishment; this is a strategy some say may ultimately prove his undoing against the hard punching Golota.
Trainer Jesse Reid takes exception to that viewpoint, saying bluntly, “That’s a bunch of bullsh*t!”
Weighing in the 220’s at 6’ 1”, Lamon Brewster deftly compiled a record of 23-0-0, and 20 KO’s. Then he fought one Clifford Etienne in May 2000 and he lost a 10 round decision; he took a second loss via unanimous decision to Charles Shufford (15-1-0, 8 KO’s at the time) in December of the same year.
Brewster has won all his bouts since then, although largely in relative obscurity. Sure, he raised a few eyebrows amongst insiders in the know in 2001 when, while sparring with Heavyweight Champ Lennox Lewis as Lewis prepared for his defense against one Hassim Rahman, he knocked Lewis out cold. However, due to confidentiality clauses, very few people ever found out about the matter.
Commenting on the incident, Jesse Reid said, “He [Lennox Lewis] wasn’t prepared. He was busy trying to be a movie star!” [Editors note: Lewis spent a lot of time filming on the set of the “Ocean’s 11” movie and was subsequently knocked out by Rahman in April; Lewis returned the favor in November 2001].
So marginalized was Brewster, that it came as a great shock when as the prohibitive underdog on April 10, 2004, he won the vacant WBO Heavyweight Title with a dramatic fifth round TKO victory over highly touted Wladmir Klitschko (42-2-0, 39 KO’s). It was a bout in which he was knocked down and dominated early, but came roaring back to win as Klitschko wilted.
Then, in September 2004, Brewster won a somewhat controversial split decision victory over relatively unheralded Kali Meehan (29-1-0, 23 KO’s), a thrilling bout in which he was roundly criticized by some for taking too much fire and which he later admitted to some reluctance to punish Meehan due to their close friendship which had formed prior to their bout.
However, Brewster’s camp claims that no such reluctance exists for his bout versus Mr. Golota this Saturday. Jesse Reid emphatically said, “If it goes to a decision, someone’s going to be seriously hurt!” He also stated about Lamon Brewster, “You’re going to see him going out to kill him [Andrew Golota] right off the bat!”
After entertaining grateful guests for an hour at Warehouse Gym, Brewster retired to the locker room upstairs to don workout gear as people were asked to leave in lieu of a closed-door workout session.
Although Brewster’s camp was very guarded about specific tactics they planned on using in Saturday’s bout versus Golota, they invited this writer to witness and photograph Lamon’s training session.
Several minutes later, Brewster returned to the main floor. His smile gone, Brewster put the final touches on his training where he stretched in one of two rings in the workout area for about 15 minutes, skipped rope for a half-dozen rounds or so, and shadow boxed in the adjacent ring for roughly half hour.
Exhorted to “…take it easy and have fun” by trainer Jesse Reid, Brewster looked defined and sharp as he deftly maneuvered about the ring, shifting subtly and firing quick, snake-like jabs and crosses. A nice guy, you say? This man looked very serious and, clearly, was prepared for battle.
After the workout, Reid said effusively, “See how sharp he is? And, he’s taking it easy, having a good time and only going half-speed!” Indeed, Brewster appeared to be in terrific shape.
Although theirs was a long day and his camp was decidedly tight-lipped about their training and fight strategy—Jesse Reid emphatically said, “We want to surprise him on Saturday”—both during the public session and after his workout, Lamon Brewster offered a brief and exclusive look into his world to the Cyber Boxing Zone.
Brewster keys in scripture on his Palm Pilot
On the relevancy of Scripture in his life and hearing Romans 8:28 quoted:
LAMON BREWSTER: I keep a little Bible on my Palm Pilot. What did you say that verse was?
JUAN AYLLON: Romans 8:28.
LAMON BREWSTER: [keying in the verse in his Palm Pilot with a stylus] I knew the verse, but I didn’t know the chapter!
[Explaining the verse to an onlooker] Sometimes when we think that things are bad…down the road we see things different.
[Turning to this writer]: My favorite fight was against [Clifford] Etienne. My ego took over for the first time in my career! I was winning, out-boxing people up to then. Then, I didn’t choose to use my brain. He came out fighting and I let Ego take over.
Then what happens? I tear my knee in the first round. I go on to lose a 10 round decision. But I’m glad it happened when it did. If I stuck to the game plan, then maybe it would have happened later.
You see, God gives us the ability to think. Evander Holyfield said, ‘You know why I beat all those guys who are bigger than me? I out-think them!’
That’s what I’m doing: I’m thinking, is he dropping his hand, which way is he moving and so on.
On hearing Fres Oquendo’s words of encouragement—which were communicated to this writer enroute to Warehouse Gym via cell phone:
LAMON BREWSTER: Tell him he’s one of my favorite fighters! Man, I used to love watching him fight. He inspired me when I was young! I thought to myself, ‘That guy can really box!’
On fighting Andrew Golota in his adopted hometown of Chicago:
LAMON BREWSTER: I think it’s a great opportunity for me. It’s a big fight for me, fighting in Chicago. It’s going to be a fight I’ll always remember. Fighting in front of all these Midwesterners, it’s a life-long dream come true. I’m going to put on the best possible show I can. Hopefully, you’ll like it!
On whether he has any serious concerns about facing Golota on Saturday:
LAMON BREWSTER: Of course! I’m hoping that he won’t foul. I think that’s in the past now. I doubt he’ll do it because if he did, it would bring disgrace on the City of Chicago and on himself. That’s my opinion, anyways.
On a prediction for the outcome of Saturday’s battle:
LAMON BREWSTER: Just that I’ll be victorious, whatever God has in store for me.
- - -
With that, Lamon Brewster politely concluded the interview. It was dark outside. As he walked to the limousine waiting outside the gym, he paused and took a long, wistful glance at a freight train that passed some 20 yards away. Smiling broadly, he said, “Man, I really love trains. I always have!” This writer agreed.
Following a moment’s reverie as the timeless sound of the train’s horn blared and distorted the way they always do while hurtling off into the distance, he said his final goodbyes and disappeared into the streamlined, black limousine. Moments later, like the train, he was gone.
Somehow, one gets the feeling that, whatever happens, things are just going to work out just fine for Lamon Brewster. There’s something very serene, grounded and—dare I say—timeless about him. You can put that in your Palm Pilot, along with Romans 8:28.
Lamon Brewster and Andrew Golota will be fighting for the WBO World Heavyweight Championship at the United Center in Chicago on Saturday, May 21st.
From left to right: Pat Doljanin, manager of Al "Speedy" Gonzales (whom Reid also trains); Lamon Brewster; Albert Falcon, Proprietor of Warehouse Gym and trainer of Al Gonzales; Jesse Reid, Trainer of Lamon Brewster and Al "Speedy" Gonzales
All photos by Juan C. Ayllon
