Boxing has been sharply criticized lately with some extremely controversial calls that many affiliated with the sport are furious over. The latest mêlée at Mandalay Bay was the title bout between defending World Boxing Organization champion Lamon Brewster and Pan Pacific Heavyweight titleholder Kali Checkmate Meehan. The split decision left a sour taste, once again, in the mouths of boxing fans and aficionados who felt the champion, although going the whole twelve rounds, didnt take enough rounds to retain the title. The fact that fight was another illustrious Don King Production, didnt help the public opinion of fair play either. Regardless, Lamon Relentless Brewster is still the WBO Champ and hes got his own pointed view of why things when down the way they did. Furthermore, the champ invites anyone who has a problem with it to step up to the ring and try to change things. Brewster chops it up with AHH Alternatives about the fight, his future plans and his purpose for boxing. AllHipHop.com: Let me start by asking are you happy with your win against Kali Meehan? LB: No, not really because I did the big no-no and that was bringing my personal feelings into the ring. Feelings get in the way and almost cost me the fight. It was a hard fight because this is someone who used to be my sparring partner and its hard to think about trying to kill someone in the ring Im cool with so I didnt have that fire that I shouldve had and it really almost cost me the fight because hes a great fighter. AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about people saying that because it was a Don King fight that it was a set up for you to win? LB: It wasnt set up because I really almost lost the fight. I won the first few rounds then he took some of the middle rounds and I came back and gave it my all the last four rounds and thats why I feel I won. You know you hear all the rumors about Don and the things that hes done to some fighters and all I can say is that hes never done me wrong and the difference between me and those other fighters is I have lawyers but theres no amount of money that would make me throw a fight, I dont have to. AllHipHop.com: With Evander Holyfield as your next fight, how will you prepare differently? LB: Im going to watch tapes like I normally do, but Im going to study how to effectively dismantle him with my brain not my muscles. Evanders a much older fighter and hes not the fighter he used to be, but hes a smart fighter and I have to be a smarter fighter. I have to break down his body to take him out and Im just going to make sure Im in the right frame of mind to dismantle him the way I know I can. AllHipHop.com: Who would you fight if you had your choice? LB: Vitali Klitchko . Hes the best fighter out there right now. I beat his brother before and now I wouldnt mind taking him on. Hes here in Los Angeles and so am I so thats a fight I want because as a fighter you should want to take on the best and hes a contender right now. AllHipHop.com: How long do you see yourself boxing? LB: Hopefully not too much longer. I want to be there for my kids because my family is all I have. AllHipHop.com: What is it that makes someone want to get in a ring and get hit and sometimes almost beat to death? LB: You know Im glad you asked that because there are two roads in life, yours and Gods. When God cast the devil to the earth and gave all his gifts to man God gave us free will and the gift may not be what you want per say, but its what God gives you and you have the choice to follow your own path or Gods path for you. Boxing is my gift, Im good at it and I just had to take that leap of blind faith and let God guide my steps and this is where they lead me. I believe that through my boxing Im supposed to be a role model for young people because kids need to see what perseverance and determination can get you. This country is in such bad shape because were so busy looking out the window at everybody else and not realizing we have our own problems that we need to fix here. Theres a problem when you have companies investing more money into prisons than into education and I feel its my obligation to live my life to give hope and inspire young people to want to do and be more, so I try to use my boxing career as a way to be a role model and however long God blesses me to be here, thats what Im going to do.
Boxing has been sharply criticized lately with some extremely controversial calls that many affiliated with the sport are furious over. The latest mêlée at Mandalay Bay was the title bout between defending World Boxing Organization champion Lamon Brewster and Pan Pacific Heavyweight titleholder Kali Checkmate Meehan. The split decision left a sour taste, once again, in the mouths of boxing fans and aficionados who felt the champion, although going the whole twelve rounds, didnt take enough rounds to retain the title.
The fact that fight was another illustrious Don King Production, didnt help the public opinion of fair play either. Regardless, Lamon Relentless Brewster is still the WBO Champ and hes got his own pointed view of why things when down the way they did. Furthermore, the champ invites anyone who has a problem with it to step up to the ring and try to change things. Brewster chops it up with AHH Alternatives about the fight, his future plans and his purpose for boxing.
AllHipHop.com: Let me start by asking are you happy with your win against Kali Meehan?
LB: No, not really because I did the big no-no and that was bringing my personal feelings into the ring. Feelings get in the way and almost cost me the fight. It was a hard fight because this is someone who used to be my sparring partner and its hard to think about trying to kill someone in the ring Im cool with so I didnt have that fire that I shouldve had and it really almost cost me the fight because hes a great fighter.
AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about people saying that because it was a Don King fight that it was a set up for you to win?
LB: It wasnt set up because I really almost lost the fight. I won the first few rounds then he took some of the middle rounds and I came back and gave it my all the last four rounds and thats why I feel I won. You know you hear all the rumors about Don and the things that hes done to some fighters and all I can say is that hes never done me wrong and the difference between me and those other fighters is I have lawyers but theres no amount of money that would make me throw a fight, I dont have to.
AllHipHop.com: With Evander Holyfield as your next fight, how will you prepare differently?
LB: Im going to watch tapes like I normally do, but Im going to study how to effectively dismantle him with my brain not my muscles. Evanders a much older fighter and hes not the fighter he used to be, but hes a smart fighter and I have to be a smarter fighter. I have to break down his body to take him out and Im just going to make sure Im in the right frame of mind to dismantle him the way I know I can.
AllHipHop.com: Who would you fight if you had your choice?
LB: Vitali Klitchko . Hes the best fighter out there right now. I beat his brother before and now I wouldnt mind taking him on. Hes here in Los Angeles and so am I so thats a fight I want because as a fighter you should want to take on the best and hes a contender right now.
AllHipHop.com: How long do you see yourself boxing?
LB: Hopefully not too much longer. I want to be there for my kids because my family is all I have.
AllHipHop.com: What is it that makes someone want to get in a ring and get hit and sometimes almost beat to death?
LB: You know Im glad you asked that because there are two roads in life, yours and Gods. When God cast the devil to the earth and gave all his gifts to man God gave us free will and the gift may not be what you want per say, but its what God gives you and you have the choice to follow your own path or Gods path for you. Boxing is my gift, Im good at it and I just had to take that leap of blind faith and let God guide my steps and this is where they lead me.
I believe that through my boxing Im supposed to be a role model for young people because kids need to see what perseverance and determination can get you. This country is in such bad shape because were so busy looking out the window at everybody else and not realizing we have our own problems that we need to fix here. Theres a problem when you have companies investing more money into prisons than into education and I feel its my obligation to live my life to give hope and inspire young people to want to do and be more, so I try to use my boxing career as a way to be a role model and however long God blesses me to be here, thats what Im going to do.
