Despite being a huge underdog and
having remained inactive for the past 16 months,
Belarus native Liakhovich shocked the sports world
by scoring a 12-round unanimous decision (117-110,
115-112 and 115-113) over champion Brewster to
capture the WBO heavyweight crown.
One of the most thrilling
heavyweight fights in recent years aired live on
SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT from the Wolstein Center
at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio,
and was presented at a special time to accommodate
fans who tuned in to the NCAA’s Men’s Final Four
on CBS. The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING broadcast
also was part of a SHOWTIME Free Preview Weekend
(March 31-April 3) in which the network opened its
signal to 45 million TV households nationwide.
UNDERCARD POST-FIGHT QUOTES
Ray Austin: "They don't recognize me but I'm
the IBF No. 2 ranked
contender. Byrd or Klitschko, either one I
don't care. It's time for some
rain and I'm gonna bring it."
Kevin McBride: “My timing was off a wee bit
not having fought in 10 months
but this man was not going to hurt me. I’m
just glad to be back in action
and fighting for Don King. Every fight I gain
experience. I’m on the road
to winning a world title. I want the Russian
giant Nicolai Valuev.”
“I dedicate this fight to Charlie Ross, the
Boston fight writer that died
this week that gave me the name Clones
Colossus.”
LAMON BREWSTER-SERGEI LIAKHOVICH POST-FIGHT
QUOTES
LAMON BREWSTER:
“Liakhovich deserved to win. He earned it. I
take my hat off to him. He
won and we have a rematch. I cannot wait to
do it again. He fought a good
fight and is a good fighter. We both deserve
to be at the top.
“I stayed on my feet in round nine from sheer
will.”
BUDDY McGIRT: “I’m sorry Lamon lost the
title but we’ll go back to the
drawing board. We’ll be back.”
SERGEI LIAKHOVICH:
“Lamon was a real great champion. I know he
hits real hard with power and
has lots of will but I answered him every
time. Then he felt my power.
“After the fourth round I knew I was
controlling the fight but Lamon hits
like a mule. I felt like I did the right
thing when I took a knee at the
end of round seven. I almost sent him down
twice too.
“I would love to fight Wladimir Klitschko.
They say I’m scared in the
Russian press. I am afraid of nobody.”
KENNY WELDON (Sergei’s trainer):
“Sergei Liakhovich is the best boxing
heavyweight in the world and he
punches with power in both hands. He is a
complete fighter that has come
into his own. Remember, he did this to Lamon
Brewster after a 16-month
layoff.
IVAYLO GOTZEV (Sergei’s manager): I will
personally send trucks to the
doorsteps of the television networks and pay
the dumping charges after
they’re loaded with all of the older
heavyweights so the public can see the
new generation of heavyweights like Sergei and
see for themselves what they
have been missing.”
