Wladimir Klitschko vs. Lamon Brewster - Preview and Bodog Odds

This Saturday, July 7th, IBF champ Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko will take on Lamon “Relentless” Brewster in a rematch from the Cologne Arena in Cologne, Germany. The fight will take place live at 5 pm ET and then replayed at 10:30 ET. In their first match, the hard-hitting Brewster decked Klitschko and got a KO victory.

Here’s how the two fighters match up:

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO

The current IBF champ, Klitschko has a record of 48 wins and 3 losses, with 43 KOs. He is 31-years-old, 6’6”, and weighs 241 pounds. He is trained by Emanuel Steward.

His most recent fight was against Ray Austin. In that fight, Klitschko landed a series of left hooks to the skull of his opponent and won via knockout in the second round. He also scored a seventh-round TKO win over previously unbeaten Calvin Brock in November.

He also has wins over Chris Byrd, Samuel Peter (despite being dropped three times), Axel Schulz, Phil Jackson, Monte Barrett, Francois Botha, Ray Mercer, Jameel McCline, and David Bostice.

His losses have come against Corrie Sanders (KO in the 2nd), Lamon Brewster (KO in the 5th) and Ross Puritty (TKO in the 11th).

Strengths

Klitschko is a big, powerful heavyweight who can put away an opponent when he smells blood in the water. He’s got a stiff jab and likes to throw right crosses down the pipe. His endurance has increased, and the additional of Emanuel Steward immediately makes him more dangerous.

Weaknesses

While he works very hard in camp, Klitschko has a tendency to run out of steam when he goes past the 4th round. His lateral movement still needs work, although his height and wingspan often make up for that. He has also had a tendency to be cut over the left eye, mostly the result of head butts. With three KO losses on his resume, one had to wonder just how solid his defense is.

LAMON BREWSTER

The challenger and former WBO champ has a record of 33 wins and 3 losses, with 29 KOs. He is 33-years-old, 6’1”, and 228 pounds. He is trained by Jesse Reid.

During his career, he has scored wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Luan Krasniqi, Andrew Golota. His three losses have come at the hands of Sergei “White Wolf” Liakhovich (unanimous decision), Clifford Etienne (decision) and Charles Shufford (decision). His last fight, against Liakhovich, was more than 14 months ago.

Strengths

Brewster has an above average right cross and a solid left hook. He also has heavy hands which allow him to finish off opponents. He’s got a great chin and has demonstrated a lot of heart. Willing to trade shots, he is capable of producing crowd-pleasing fights.

Weaknesses

He tends to struggle against fighters with lots of movement, and his defense has been suspect in the past. The layoff of over 14 months could also be cause for concern.

BODOG ODDS

As expected, our pals at Bodog have a couple of betting options available for the fight. They are:

Winner of the Fight

Wladimir Klitschko -450

Lamon Brewster +300

Total Rounds in the Fight

Over 7 ½ EVEN

Under 7 ½ -140

PREDICTION

This one has all the makings of a slugfest. Neither guy has great defense, but look for Klitschko’s continued improvement under the supervision of Emanuel Steward to be the difference.

I’m betting this one is over quick, and Klitschko comes out on top with a 3rd round TKO win. Still, considering the fact that he won their first match, Brewster looks awfully tempting at +300 odds.

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Wladimir Klitschko vs. Lamon Brewster - Preview and Bodog Odds