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HBO Championship Boxing Klitschko vs. Brewster Spinks vs. Judah
April 10, 2004 Mandalay
Bay
Now that undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis has retired and Roy Jones Jr. has decided to go back to the light heavyweight division leaving John Ruiz to inherit the WBA heavyweight title, the heavyweight division will be looking to crown a new champion when Wladimir Klitschko goes against Lamon Brewster for the vacant WBO heavyweight title on HBO on April 10th. On the same card, undisputed welterweight champion Cory Spinks will do battle with the former WBO and IBF Jr. welterweight champion Zab Judah. And although HBO probably won't show this fight, Miguel Callist will go up against Lakva Sim for the vacant WBA lightweight title.
The main event for the night will feature the former WBO champion and current WBO # 1 contender, Wladimir Klitschko (42-2, 39 KO's), who's trying to regain his heavyweight title. Klitschko, not to be confused with his brother Vitali (who will be fighting Corrie Sanders on April 24th for the vacant WBC heavyweight title), lost his WBO title two fights ago in March of 2003 to Corrie Sanders (39-2, 29 KO's) via a second round TKO. Since then, he's won two in a row - defeating Fabio Eduardo Moli (29-3, 17 KO's) in August of 2003 by first round knockout and Danell Nicholson (42-5, 32 KO's) in December of 2003 by fourth round TKO. Klitschko has wins over Chris Byrd (unanimous decision for the WBO title in November of 2000), Frans Botha (eight round TKO in March of 2002), Ray Mercer (sixth round TKO in June of 2002), and Jameel McCline (10th round TKO in December of 2002).
Lamon Brewster (29-2, 26 KO's), currently ranked # 2 by the WBO, is coming into this bout on a five fight win streak (winning all five by TKO). He captured the WBO-NABO heavyweight title in his second to last bout with a third round TKO win over Tommy Martin (23-3, 17 KO's) in December of 2002. Since then, he has only fought once, in March of 2003 with a third round TKO win over Joe Lenhart (11-23-3, 5 KO's). Brewster has two 10 round decision losses (both in 2000) with one of them coming at the hands of Clifford Etienne (26-2-2, 29 KO's). Brewster hasn't fought in over a year and while he has done that in the past, his opponent coming off a long layoff has never been this good.
Both of Klitschko's losses have been by TKO's. The question is whether Brewster will be sharp enough, after a year layoff, to make Klitschko pay if he makes a mistake. I think not - Klitschko by fifth round TKO.
The next fight will feature the undisputed welterweight champion Cory Spinks (32-2, 10 KO's). Spinks is coming off what could arguably be the biggest fight of his career with a 12 round majority decision win over Ricardo Mayorga (26-4, 23 KO's) to capture Mayorga's WBC and WBA titles in December of 2003. Spinks has won his last three bouts including capturing the IBF title over Michele Piccirillo (41-2, 26 KO's) via unanimous decision in March of 2003 (and avenging his most recent loss to Piccirillo in April of 2002). Both of Spinks' losses have been controversial decision losses.
Zab Judah (30-1, 22 KO's) is coming into this fight with a first round knockout win over Jaime Rangel (29-5-1, 25 KO's) in December of 2003. He moves up to welterweight to face Spinks. Previous to the Rangel fight, he won the WBO Jr. welterweight title with a 12 round split decision win over DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley (28-2-1, 16 KO's) in July of 2003.
I sense that Spinks is going to put on a boxing clinic that Judah has probably never seen before. Spinks by unanimous decision.
And the vacant WBA lightweight title will be on the line this night but it probably won't be shown unless one of the other fights is very short (but then again, I'm just speculating). Miguel Callist (17-3-1, 13 KO's) is coming into this bout on a 12 fight win streak (the last four by either knockout or technical knockout).
Lakva Sim (18-3-1, 15 KO's), a former WBA Super Featherweight champion, is coming into this bout winning his last two. All of his losses have come in super featherweight title bouts (two by split decision and one by unanimous decision).
Difficult one to call - both have power but I think Lakva will finally get a decision win in a big title bout.
SN
Line-Up: WBO Heavyweight Title Bout - Vacant (12 Rds) Wladimir Klitschko (42-2, 39 KO's) vs. Lamon Brewster (29-2, 26 KO's)
WBC\WBA\IBF Welterweight Title Bout (12 Rds) Champ Cory Spinks (32-2, 10 KO's) vs. Zab Judah (30-1, 22 KO's)
WBA Lightweight Title Bout - Vacant (12 Rds) Miguel Callist (17-3-1, 13 KO's) vs. Lakva Sim (18-3-1, 15 KO's)
(4/7/04)
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