Brewster Defends WBO
Heavyweight Title vs. Golota on Saturday
WBC No. 1-Ranked Paul
‘Hurricane’ Briggs Faces Undefeated WBC No. 4-Ranked Tomasz Adamek for
the Vacant WBC Light Heavyweight Crown
Re-Match Featuring
Alejandro “Terra” Garcia vs. Rhoshii “The Mongoose” Wells is for the
WBA Super Welterweight Interim Title
WBC No. 2 Contender Miguel
Rodriguez Meets WBC No. 1 Contender Carlos “Tata” Baldomir in
Elimination Match to Become WBC Mandatory Challenger to Undisputed
World Welterweight Champion Zab “Super” Judah
Former IBF Cruiserweight
Champion Kelvin “Koncrete” Davis Squares Off Against Guillermo Jones
World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion “Relentless”
Lamon Brewster will defend his crown against Andrew “Powerful Pole”
Golota when Chicago hosts its first heavyweight world title fight in
24 years on Saturday at the United Center.
Tickets priced at $35, $75, $100, $200, $300 and $500 are still
available and can be purchased at the United Center Box
Office,www.ticketmaster.com, and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets
can also be charged by phone by calling (312) 559-1212. The event is
being promoted by Don King Productions in association with the United
Center.
Brewster (31-2, 27 KOs), 31, won his title by defeating Ukrainian
giant Wladimir Klitschko with a spectacular fifth-round technical
knockout at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on April 10, 2004.
He successfully defended his title with a split-decision victory over
Australian Kali “Checkmate” Meehan in his last appearance at Mandalay
Bay on Sept. 4.
“I’m a Midwesterner and the people of Chicago have welcomed me and
been very nice this week,” Brewster, an Indianapolis native, said.
“One of the biggest highlights of this whole thing for me was to speak
to the kids at St. Sabina Academy on Monday. That was a big motivator
for me to have kids from the ghetto saying they would be praying for
me to win. It’s important for me to not let them down. I will be
thinking about them on Saturday night.”
Regarding his opponent, the champion added, “I don’t care what Golota
is planning to do, I’m just coming to take care of business and retain
my titles.”
Golota (38-5-1, 31 KOs), 37, who has lived in Chicago since 1991 after
emigrating from Warsaw, Poland, will make his third attempt in a row
to win a world heavyweight title.
Golota fought International Boxing Federation champion Chris Byrd to a
draw at Madison Square Garden on April 17, 2004, and after knocking
down World Boxing Association heavyweight champion John “The Quietman”
Ruiz twice in the second round at the Garden on Nov. 13 (and Ruiz had
a point deducted for hitting on the break in round four), he still
suffered a decision loss. Many ringside observers felt Golota had won
both contests.
“This is my last chance to win a world title fight,” Golota said this
week. “There is extra pressure on me fighting in front of my people
in Chicago. The pressure is not comfortable but it is exciting. This
is a great thing for Chicago. We haven’t had a big fight like this in
ages.”
To his hometown fans in Chicago, Golota added: “Come and support me on
Saturday night. I will make you proud.”
This marks the first time a world heavyweight championship will be
decided in the Chicagoland area since WBA heavyweight champion Mike
Weaver won a unanimous 15-round decision over James “Quick” Tillis at
the Rosemont Horizon on Oct. 3, 1981.
A stellar undercard features a second world championship match and two
world championship elimination bouts.
No. 1-ranked contender Paul “Hurricane” Briggs will face undefeated
No. 4-ranked Tomasz Adamek for the vacant WBC light heavyweight
championship. This will be Adamek’s first fight in America with Briggs
making only his second United States appearance.
Briggs, (23-1, 17 KOs) from Australia, is a former kickboxing world
champion of the Muay Thai discipline who has said he is looking
forward to “crushing Adamek” in front of an expected large contingency
of Polish fans.
“Adamek is a very well-schooled boxer, knows all the moves and has
beaten all of his opponents,” Briggs said, “but he has never fought
anyone with my ability, tenacity and power. If he thinks I’m just a
street fighter that will go down the first time he hits me, he’s in
for a big surprise.”
Adamek, (28-0, 20 KOs) from Poland, says he represents a new breed of
Eastern European fighter.
“I combine the Polish and American styles of boxing,” Adamek said.
“Poles jab more and the American style is more power-oriented. You
will see how effective it is on Saturday.”
No. 2-ranked World Boxing Council welterweight contender Miguel
Rodriguez will meet WBC No. 1-ranked contender Carlos “Tata” Baldomir
in a world championship elimination bout to become the WBC’s mandatory
challenger. This puts the winner of this fight in line to face one of
the biggest stars in boxing, current undisputed world welterweight
champion Zab “Super” Judah.
Rodriguez, (26-1, 21 KOs) from Naucalpan, Mexico, earned his shot at
this elimination bout after winning the WBC Welterweight Continental
Americas title and the Mexican national championship. He possesses
devastating punching power and has knocked out 10 of his last 11
opponents.
Baldomir, (40-9-6, 12 KOs) from Santa Fe, Argentina now fighting out
of Los Angeles, has not lost a bout since 1998. Although he is a
veteran who has held national and international titles since 1999,
this will be his first world title appearance.
Former WBA super welterweight champion Alejandro “Terra” Garcia will
square off against WBA No. 1-ranked Rhoshii “The Mongoose” Wells for
the WBA 154-pound interim title. When these two met as undefeated
combatants on Sept. 20, 2003, Garcia was the reigning champion.
Although staggered by Wells early in what turned out to be a very
close fight, Garcia rallied late to score a technical knockout in
round 10.
The seemingly invincible Garcia then made his third defense against
another undefeated 154-pounder, “Tremendous” Travis Simms, in Atlantic
City, N.J., on Dec. 13, 2003. The still-undefeated Garcia appeared to
be moving ahead of Simms when he forgot the first rule in boxing and
inexplicably dropped his hands thinking the referee was stepping in
for a break. Simms took full advantage of the opportunity and landed
a sweeping left hook for a knockout and walked off with Garcia’s
title.
Garcia, (23-1, 22 KOs) from Tijuana, Mexico, defeated Jonathan Corn by
fifth-round TKO in Las Vegas on Sept. 4, 2004. Wells, (18-1-2, 11
KOs) from Las Vegas, fought and won an elimination bout on the same
card.
In a cruiserweight match-up with significant world title implications,
former IBF champion Kelvin “Koncrete” Davis will take on the
always-tough Guillermo Jones.
Davis, (21-2, 16 KOs) from Reno, Nev., won the vacant IBF
cruiserweight title by scoring an eighth-round TKO over Ezra Sellers
in Miami on May 1, 2005. He was then stripped of his title by the IBF
in February after a dispute with the organization.
Jones, (31-3-2, 24 KOs) from Colon, Panama, is currently ranked No. 5
by the WBA and has had an illustrious career. In his last appearance,
he lost a disputed 10-round decision to undefeated and current No. 1
contender Steve Cunningham in Worcester, Mass., on April 2.
Mexican bantamweights Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia (32-4, 20 KOs), from
Puebla, and Gerardo “El Locomotora” Espinoza (28-7, 26 KOs), from
Tijuana, are scheduled to fight for 10 rounds. Three more undercard
bouts will also be featured.