Wladimir Klitschko vs. Lamon Brewster (2nd meeting)

Challenger rankings

Org.	Pos.	As of	Published
1+ Mth. Old
WBA	12	28.02.2007	05.03.2007
WBC	15	01.03.2007	04-11.03.2007
IBF	2	27.02.2007	by 2007.03.08
WBO	8	~01.02.2007	by 25.02.2007
Ring	7	05.03.2007	by 15.03.2007
2+ Mth. Old
WBA	7	31.12.2006	23-25.01.2007
WBC	10	01.02.2007	01-13.02.2007
IBF	2	23.01.2007	by 02.02.2007
WBO	8	~01.01.2007	by 29.01.2007
Ring	7	06.02.2007	by 10.02.2007
3+ Mth. Old
WBA	7	30.11.2006	by 01.01.2007
WBC	10	01.01.2007	by 07.01.2007
IBF	2	27.12.2006	by 02.01.2007
WBO	8	~01.12.2006	by 22.12.2006
Ring	7	09.01.2007	by 12.01.2007

Punchstats

Total Punches	Klitschko	Brewster
Landed	199	70
Thrown	434	248
Pct.	46%	28%
Jabs	Klitschko	Brewster
Landed	162	42
Thrown	346	187
Pct.	47%	22%
Power Punches	Klitschko	Brewster
Landed	37	28
Thrown	88	61
Pct.	42%	46%

Wladimir Klitschko 243 lbs beat Lamon Brewster 228 lbs by RTD at 3:00 in round 6 of 12

• Date: 2007-07-07
• Location: Kolnarena, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
• Referee: Sam Williams
• Judge: Alfred Buqwana 60-54

  1 10 9	2 10 9	3 10 9	4 10 9	5 10 9	6 10 9

• Judge: Dennis Nelson 60-54

  1 10 9	2 10 9	3 10 9	4 10 9	5 10 9	6 10 9

• Judge: Michael Fischer 60-54

  1 10 9	2 10 9	3 10 9	4 10 9	5 10 9	6 10 9

• Announcer: Michael Buffer
• Aired on: HBO
• International Boxing Federation Heavyweight Title (3rd defense by Klitschko)
  
• International Boxing Organization Heavyweight Title (3rd defense by Klitschko)
  
• See also: Lamon Brewster vs. Wladimir Klitschko (1st meeting)

Comments

• Brewster had not fought since losing the WBO heavyweight title to Siarhei Liakhovich fifteen months earlier. After the defeat, Brewster had surgery to repair a detached retina in his left eye. When he went to Germany for the Klitschko rematch, he was on medical suspension in the United States. [1]
• On March 15, Klitschko's advisor Shelly Finkel confirmed that negotiations with Brewster were underway.[2][3] This was promptly denied by K2 Promotions, who had asserted that Wladimir's next fight was going to be a unification.[4]
• When asked about the fight on April 13, Klitschko's manager Bernd Boente refused to confirm it, noting that several dates, places and opponents were considered at the moment.[5][6][7]
• On April 16, Klitschko confirmed that the deal had been signed.[8][9][10]
• Klitschko was a -450 betting favorite, and Brewster was a +300 underdog.
• This was an IBF mandatory defense for Klitschko, as Brewster was the highest available contender in the IBF rankings. The No. 1 contender spot was vacant, Ray Austin (whom Klitschko knocked out in his previous fight) was ranked No. 2, and Brewster was No. 3.
• Tickets allegedly cost between €29 ($40) and €800 ($1,088).[11]
• The fight was broadcast to over 100 countries.[12][13]
• Klitschko broke his left middle finger in the first round. He had a cast placed on his left hand up past his elbow. [14]
• In Germany, the fight averaged 11.27 million viewers on RTL. It peaked at 11.86 million and 56.8 market share.[15] It was the 9th most-watched TV program of 2007.[16]
• 19,500 people were in attendance.[17]

Klitschko bounces back, batters Brewster in TKO win

Associated Press, July 8, 2007

COLOGNE, Germany -- Wladimir Klitschko made up for one of the most painful losses of his career.

The Ukrainian heavyweight battered Lamon Brewster and scored a technical knockout after the sixth round Saturday to successfully defend his IBF title.

"I have waited for this fight for three years," Klitschko said. "This was incredibly important for me. Today I could not lose. My confidence was such I simply could not lose."

Klitschko clearly dominated the first five rounds, making repeated contact with his strong left jab that largely went unanswered.

"He did challenge me but his speed was not that good. I saw almost all the punches coming from Lamon. And I knew Lamon's defense was not the best," Klitschko said.

Brewster seemed to be standing up to the constant punishment, but two massive left-right combinations in the sixth round rocked the American. Before the seventh could start, Brewster's trainer, Buddy McGirt, flapped his towel and referee Sam Williams called the fight.

"He was the better man tonight. I did my best. I felt prepared but he won fair and square," Brewster said.

"Buddy said I was taking too many shots and was thinking of stopping the fight," said Brewster, who'd shaved his thick, full beard for the fight. "He said 'I love you, I love you.' And I said whatever he thought was the best decision. You can't see yourself from where you are. Buddy decided to stop the fight."

Seeing Klitschko gaining momentum and his own fighter rooted to the spot, McGirt told Brewster after the fifth round he was thinking of retiring him. But he gave Brewster one last chance to turn the bout around.

"You could see Wladimir was picking it up. I knew he'd set him up for the kill," McGirt said. "I gave him one more round but I told him I didn't want to see him get hurt. Wladimir was getting more confident so why take a chance with his life?"

Brewster would have continued, but placed his faith in his coach's decision.

"Naturally, I wanted to continue," he said. "I'm a dog. I'll fight until the end. I knew I was having trouble. I was being jabbed and he was outmaneuvering me.

"Buddy said 'You've got a wife and kids, we can always pick this up another day.' So I said OK."

Both trainers said afterward that Klitschko would have knocked him out in the seventh round.

When the two met in 2004, Brewster stopped Klitschko with a fifth-round TKO to win the vacant WBO championship in Las Vegas.

Klitschko dominated that fight early on and knocked down Brewster in the fourth round, but the American was saved by the bell. Two left hooks by Brewster in the fifth turned it around.

On Saturday, Brewster was returning after a yearlong absence following a loss to Sergei Liakhovich in April 2006 during which the American suffered a detached retina in his left eye that required surgery. He returned from his layoff to fight Klitschko without even a warmup bout.

His time away from the ring was apparent. While Klitschko was pure muscle, Brewster was clearly carrying extra weight around the middle. Before his injury, Brewster successfully defended the WBO heavyweight title three times -- against Kali Meehan, Andrew Golota and Luan Krasniqi.

Klitschko's record is now 49-3, with 44 knockouts, while Brewster is 33-4 with 29 KOs.

The Ukrainian weighed in at 244 pounds, 15 pounds more than his opponent.

"He took quite a beating," Klitschko said. "I was surprised they gave in but today I knew I would not lose." [18]