Heavyweights Promise a Tear Up on Fight Night

That's it? There's no bad blood between these guys?

Where's Hopkins or Toney or Mayorga to put this fight in its proper perspective? Where are the insults, the threats, the bold promises, the accusations of skullduggery?

Where's all the trash talk?

They didn't exactly tear up the phone lines Tuesday afternoon trying to intimidate each other. In fact, you could have handed the phone to your 6-year-old daughter and walked away knowing she wouldn't pick up any words you wouldn't want her saying at the dinner table.

As teleconferences go, this one was warm and fuzzy, two guys showing a lot of respect for each other while preparing to knock each other's block off. It was kind of nice.

When WBO heavyweight champ Lamon Brewster (30-2, 27 KOs) puts his title on the line against Kali “Checkmate” Meehan (29-1, 23 KOs) on Sept. 4 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (Showtime), there probably won't be any need for a referee. For this fight, it's just an added expense, a decoration. But the Nevada Athletic Commission makes it mandatory.

“A lot of fighters like to trash talk,” said Meehan, who fights out of Australia and has sparred more than 70 rounds with Brewster. “But I look at the old fighters and I never heard any trash talk at their press conferences. And they fought some of the greatest fights of all time.” Brewster didn't argue.

“I think we'll give the fans one of the best fights since who knows when,” he said.

The funny thing about this heavyweight championship fight is, not many people recognize the names. And no one outside their immediate family and friends recognize the faces.

Brewster, a very religious fighter, came out of relative anonymity earlier this year when he stopped Wladimir Klitschko in four rounds. Meehan, meanwhile, is where Brewster was before he upset Klitschko. What it comes down to is, Brewster and Meehan know each other better than we know either one of them.

But both think their fight could be a good one. “Fighting for a world title is a dream come true for me,” Meehan said. “I 'm living my dream. Whatever the outcome, I know I will be at the best I can be.”

Brewster said he's trained longer and harder for this fight then he trained for the Klitschko fight.

“I trained eight weeks in Big Bear because that is how tough I think this fight is going to be,” he said. “No way do I think Kali is going to be a walk in the park.”

While Brewster's two losses were both by decision, Meehan's only loss was to Danny Williams, another one of those anonymous heavyweights who suddenly found himself staring into the spotlight.

Williams, who recently stomped on the myth that was Mike Tyson, stopped Meehan in the first round of their fight three years ago. It was over so early, most of the crowd still hadn't found their seats.

Meehan said he got tagged right away and never recovered. “I was so relaxed and calm,” he said. “Then he threw (a punch) and I went down. I remember thinking, that's not how it's supposed to be. What's happening?' A fight like that could make me or break me. And I decided it was not going to break me. I had to learn to lose. That night, (Williams) was a better fighter. No excuses.”

Guess we don't really need Hopkins or Toney.