Interview with Lamon Brewster:
By David Loew

 

Ten days before the fight, I had the privilege of speaking with Lamon Brewster, who was in Chicago to defend his WBO title against Andrew Golota. We had met briefly at a press conference at the United Center, a couple of days before. The arena was a vast sea of empty seats, illuminated by the animated signs of fight-sponsors. In the center stood the empty ring. On the dais, the champ was grim-faced behind his shades, camouflage hat, and jacket (the team Brewster Uniform). Perhaps he was trying to downplay his rputation of being a nice guy. Every once in a while, he broke into a smile, giving a glimpse of the real Lamon Brewster.

CFA: The fight’s less than 10 days away, how do you feel; are you ready?

LB: Yeah, I’m ready. [Laughs] I mean, I can’t do anything now but wait.

CFA: I know you’re a heavy hitter and you’ve got great speed, and, of course, you’re relentless. What would you like to improve about your fighting style?

LB: I don’t know, man, just reaction time, I guess. I’m always trying to get faster, quicker.

CFA: You’ve only had two losses, and both of those have been long fights by unanimous decision. Golota’s looking pretty strong. Do you think that if this goes the distance, it’s going to put you at a disadvantage?

LB: No, not at all, man. You know, if you only won fights because of your strength, then every man in Gold’s Gym would definitely be in boxing.

CFA: [Laughing] I know you’re a chess player. Have you’ve been able to take what you’ve learned in chess and apply it to a fighting strategy?

LB: Well, I think that like chess, it’s all about making the right moves, being patient, and taking the opportunities when they present themselves.

CFA: Do you have any thoughts about Andrew Golota?

LB: I think he’s a good fighter, and it’s going to be a good, enjoyable fight for everybody to come out and see.

CFA: Have you watched the tapes of his other fights and are you going to adapt your style for this fight?

LB: I’ve watched tapes of Andrew Golota and I plan on going out there and fighting a smart fight.

CFA: If you win this, who are you going to go after next?

LB: Well, I don’t know; I can’t see past Andrew Golota, because he’s so big! [Laughs]

CFA: Most boxers combine roadwork, sparring, and strength training in their workouts. Do you have any training tips that you could share with your fans?

LB: Yeah, I guess the thing that I would say is that there are no shortcuts. You can’t cut any corners to be a champion, and in order to be there, you have to work hard and you’ve gotta push yourself.

CFA: Do you have a special diet?

LB: Yeah, the George Foreman diet! [Laughing] Yeah, I have a special diet, but it’s just more formulated by my strength trainer, and what he puts in front of me, I demolish!

CFA: Okay. How have you dealt with the reality of being a celebrity athlete and all of the temptations that affords with the demands of being a role model?

LB: I stay close to the word of God and try to keep my feet on the ground, because that’s what God would have me to do. He says that the meek shall inherit the earth, so I’ll always be humble and never forget that God gave me these abilities and that he can take them away from me. So, I think for me to continue to be successful, [I have] to just continue to serve God and that keeps my head on my shoulders.

CFA: Okay. What are you most proud of in your life?

LB: I’m most proud that I’m a husband and a father, and that I am with my wife and together, we try to make it in this world.

CFA: What motivates you?

LB: I come from nothing, but I was rich in love because my family was always there for me. As I got older, and I got to see how much my mother struggled, it’s amazing how a woman can make it in this world even without the father being present. So, I wanted to make her struggles and life a little easier, and I wanted a better life for myself other than working a 9-to-5 job, it’s a chance to do more and be more in life.

CFA: You’ve had a lot of mentors in your life. You’ve had Bill Brown and, of course, Bill Slayton, and I’m sure you count other others, as well. Have you tried to be a mentor to anyone?

LB: I try to be a mentor to anybody who’s willing to listen, no matter who they are . . . if you have something good to say to a person, you may inspire that person to do more or just to make it through this day, because every day is a struggle.

CFA: There’s lot of time between fights. What do you enjoy most about your life outside of the ring?

LB: Being home. Looking at my wife and watching my crazy kids run around. [Chuckles]

CFA: You’re 31 years old and you’ve already achieved a great deal. You’ve got quite a few years left as an athlete; what more do you want to accomplish?

LB: If it’s in God’s will, I would like to unify the titles.

CFA: Okay. How did you meet your manager, Sam Simon, and have you been a character on The Simpsons, or do we have that to look forward to?

LB: I met my manager through Freddy Roach. I used to train over at his gym all the time, and one day, I was speaking to Freddy about finding a manager. Freddy led me to Sam, and we’ve just been together ever since. I’m working on threatening Sam in some type of way where he’ll put me on The Simpsons, even if it’s just a spot. [Laughs]

CFA: I’m sure your kids would love that.

LB: [Still laughing] Oh yeah, man!

CFA: Have you given much thought to what you’re going to do after boxing? Maybe Hollywood? I know you’ve done some acting.

LB: Yeah, I do think about it. You know, it’s funny, because there are a million things I would like to do. But, the biggest thing is to reach out to kids and just try to talk to [them], because sometimes people become successful or have a successful career or life, and they don’t try to go to the small cities and the little schools. You don’t know how much that could rate as a gift to a child and how you could just change his life, whether he knows it or not, just because you have a name and you take the time to come and see him. That means a lot.

CFA: Are there any charities you’d like to mention, things that you personally support?

LB: I do support—well, I wouldn’t call it a charity, but it’s a cause. It’s the fight against heart disease, because people having strokes and heart attacks is one of the leading causes of death in this country and in the world. I’m part of this group called Global Cardio Care, and their Website is globalcardiocare.com. They do work in black communities, [where] all you have is fried food restaurants, restaurants, and liquor stores: Everything that leads to high blood pressure which leads to strokes and heart attacks, so my fight is definitely against heart attacks and strokes [through Global Cardio Care].

CFA: This fight’s been promoted as a “border war.” You grew up in Indiana and Golota’s been living in Chicago for the past 15 years. How do you feel about bringing big-time boxing to the Midwest? Is there anything you’d like to say to Chicago fans?

LB: Well, this has always been a dream come true for me, because Chicago is the first big city I ever went to. I’ve been here every year of my life since I was a child. It’s a big deal for me. They call it a border war, but I’ve got so much family in Chicago, it’s not funny. I think the Midwest is overlooked; you have some of the greatest fans in the world.

I just hope that they will all come out and support this fight, because if this fight is successful, there will be other fights and promoters that will want to come to Chicago. It’s time for Chicagoans to show their true power by coming out and supporting this fight. People like Don King and other promoters will see the opportunity that lies in it. With the number of people you’ve got, you’ve got money, and [with] the money, you’ve got television, and so I think it brings money to the state.

CFA: Have you heard that Fernando Vargas is going to be fighting in Chicago?

LB: No, I didn’t know that!

CFA: Yeah, he’s planning something in the summer.

LB: That would be great, man!

CFA: Well, thanks for your time. I’ll be shooting the fight ringside, so I’m going to get a good close look at you. Good luck.

LB: Come up and say hello. [Laughs]

CFA: I will do that. Thanks very much.

LB: No, thank you.

Following up on my first interview I had a chance to speak with Lamon Brewster after the fight.

 

Chicago Fighting Arts: Hey, Lamon, how are you doing?

Lamon “Relentless” Brewster: Great!

CFA: That was a tremendous fight. It was shorter than everyone thought it was going to be.

LB: Oh yeah! You know, we’ve got a motto: My [football] coach in high school, Mr. Noonan, used to always say, “Do it right, do it tight. Do it wrong, do it long.”

CFA: One concern before the fight was that you might be at a disadvantage in later rounds, but that wasn’t an issue.

LB: Well, I don’t even think it would have been a disadvantage if it was a longer fight, because if I remember correctly, when Andrew Golota gets tired is when he gets crazy. I knew I was going to be able to fight 12 rounds hard, so I think even in the long run, I would have been successful, because God was definitely with me.

CFA: How did you feel when you entered the ring and there were many Polish fans, and you weren’t as quite well known?

LB: First of all, when I entered the ring, I didn’t see Polish fans; I just saw fans, period. That would be the same as thinking of them as black or Mexican fans. You’re referring to race, but I just saw a lot of fans, and they had their favorite, and their favorite was Andrew Golota.

CFA: Some people think that you went into the ring as an underdog, but you left with a dramatic defense of your title. Do you think you’ll get the respect that you deserve after this fight?

LB: Oh, it doesn’t matter. If they give it to me, great. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter. You have to understand, you can win every fight in the world and be undefeated, knock everybody out in one second in the first round, and there’s always going to be somebody who isn’t going to be a fan of yours—somebody who still isn’t going to think anything of you. The most important thing is that you can live with and be content with yourself, so all I try to do is go in there and put on a good performance and rate myself: “What would I give myself for this fight? Would it be an A, B, C, D, or would I even give myself an F?” So, that’s the most important thing: How do I [rate myself]?

CFA: Did knowing that Golota starts slow affect your strategy?

LB: I didn’t think that at all. Nobody ever told me that going into this fight. I mean, I heard it after the fight, but it never crossed my mind. I just knew I had a job to do. I studied his tapes, I did my homework, and I prepared for him the best I could. I was going to go in there and do everything I trained to do. That’s what I did, and I was successful.

CFA: Did you know that Golota was missing part of a muscle from a car accident and that may have affected his ability to use a left jab as well as before. Had you heard that?

LB: No, I heard something about a car accident, but this is the first I’ve ever heard about a muscle missing. But, I think that if he was worried about it, he wouldn’t have gotten into the ring. The good thing about being a man [is that] you have to make your own decisions in life as to what you will or will not do. He signed the line. Nobody made him, so if he had won, nobody would have been mentioning anything about his injuries.

CFA: I sat next to your mom at the press conference, and that’s when I heard that she told you knock him out. She must be pretty proud of you.

LB: Yeah, well . . . [Laughs] My mother is the one who started me in boxing, and all my life, she never told me to knock anybody out. So, when she told me that . . . you know, I can’t let my mother down.

CFA: Your next step is to unify the titles, but do you have any idea who you want to go after first?

LB: It doesn’t really matter, as long as the money’s right, to be honest. Money matters for me to be able to take care of my family, so if it makes money, it makes sense.

CFA: You’re certainly going to be in a better position for that in your next fight.

LB: It’s good to be recognized for doing your thing, your labor, and I just hope it will be fruitful for me in my career. I trained very long and very hard, and I dedicated everything to this fight. I’m glad it’s paying off.

CFA: Chicago fans would love to see you fight again. Are they going to have a chance?

LB: Man, I sure hope so, because I’m a Midwest guy! I come to Chicago every summer, so why not? I love Chicago; everybody is so nice to me here even before, and certainly after the fight. So, I have nothing but the best for Chicago, because I did something that hasn’t been done for 24 years, which is make a successful title defense here. And, like I said, being from the Midwest and having so much family and friends here, it’s only right that I represent the Midwest, because I’m a Midwest boy.

I want to make all the fans and media in boxing proud, and give them something in this division worth talking about. Because, it’s time, and this is my decade, and it’s time for me—or anybody, for that matter—to step up and make that happen. I hope it’s me, so I put my best foot forward and say that I’m going to do everything in my power to give you the best that I have to give, and hope that’s enough.

CFA: It’s been my pleasure talking to you. Congratulations.

photographs by David Loew copyright © 2007