Betting Brewster: Being “Relentless” Will Be Rewarded

“Relentless” Lamon Brewster won’t quite throw caution to the wind, but it says here that he will fight at such a determined pace this Saturday that our wager on him will pay off, at the expense of Sergei “White Wolf” Lyahkovich.

Showtime presents us the opportunity watch-n-win this weekend when WBO Heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster defends his title for the fourth time since winning the belt via TKO 5 over Wladimir Klitschko in October of 2004. Klitschko was bet down to a big -800 favorite from a huge opening number as the odds makers gave little respect to Brewster. Smart bettors who knew something about Lamon Brewster found value taking back as much as +800 all the way down to the closing price +600. The Total for that bout was 6.5 Over +125/Under -145 as most agreed it would be a knockout win regardless of who’s arm was eventually raised.

Brewster, of course, pulled the major upset as he used heart and determination to wrestle the bout from Wladimir, as the younger Klitschko collapsed from a combination of exhaustion and heavy punches after the fifth round. Brewster parlayed that win into a Split Decision win over Kali Meehan in September 2004. The bout was a bit lackluster as this time Lamon was the heavy betting favorite and Meehan nearly pulled the upset. A large -700 favorite with a Total of 7.5 Over +110/Under -130 it was obvious that most expected a Brewster knockout victory to be a forgone conclusion. It wasn’t so as Brewster fought just well enough to win but took all twelve rounds to achieve the victory.

If we hadn’t learned already how little faith to have in the odds makers off the past two bouts, when Andrew Golota was anointed the next challenger to Brewster’s belt we definitely had it figured out. Golota opened as a -300 favorite as most bettors took advantage of that number by grabbing the +250 comeback based on the immense edge Brewster held in heart over the Polish bully. The Total was bet Over slightly as the opening number was 7.5 Over -110/Under-110 but closed Over -125/Under +105 due to action on the bout exceeding 1:30 of round 8.

Brewster bettors were right on the money as Andy was floored 10 seconds into the fight and 3 times in the bout, which lasted a mere 53 seconds. Lamon jumped on the frail psyche of Golota, separating him from his senses with wicked left hooks. Seemingly stunned from the opening salvo of fire, Golota merely played catch to everything “Relentless” threw, and in front of his adopted hometown of Chicago, Golota was destroyed.

By now the lines makers had pretty much given up on handicapping Lamon Brewster, so when he faced Luan Krasniqi in Germany last year, the opening number was simply a “Pick” with bettors laying -110 on either fighter. The Total was 10.5 Over +100/Under -120 for the title fight. Krasniqi had the home town advantage which may have influenced the betting number slightly, but Brewster erased 7 rounds of frustration and dangerous cut suffered in the third round by landing a crushing left hook to drop the local favorite in the eighth. Krasniqi survived the round but “Relentless” was just that, and a searing right hand signaled the end for Luan as it went in the books as a TKO 9 victory for Brewster.

Just as Brewster was given little chance against the monster Wladimir Klitschko, White Wolf Lyahkovich was a +325 underdog as bettors laid -425 to bet on enigmatic Dominick Guinn in Lyahkovich’s last bout, in December of 2004. The Total was heavily favored to go Over 9.5 rounds (Over 9.5 -270/Under +240) as Serguei pulled the upset taking a Unanimous Decision over 10 rounds.

All of which brings us to the fight Saturday night from Cleveland, Ohio. A solid favorite to retain his belt, Lamon Brewster is a -400 choice to retain his title as posted by Diamond Sportsbook (www.betdsi.com) and the number on the Total is 8.5 Over -120/Under +100. The Exact Outcome odds are as such:

S Lyahkovich by Decision +600
S Lyahkovich by KO, TKO, DQ +1000
L Brewster by Decision +400
L Brewster by KO, TKO, DQ -200
Fights Ends in a Draw +2000

Besides facing a fierce competitor and one of the strongest heavyweights of today, Serguei Lyahkovich (22-1-0, 14 KO) will also be battling 16-months of inactivity. His 10 round Decision victory over Guinn dates back to December of 2004 and any hint of ring rust could be deadly as Brewster has been known to start fast. In his lone loss, Lyahkovich was stopped by underachieving Maurice Harris and it looks to be a matter of time before Brewster connects with either his wicked left hook or a pulverizing right hand. He can throw the right straight down the pike or over top and can land the left hook either upstairs or down.

The move by Brewster from longtime trainer Jesse Reid to James “Buddy” McGirt is not a concern as McGirt is as sound as any to have in his corner.

As 29 KO’s out of 33 victories suggest, Lamon Brewster has huge power and is “relentless” in his attack. It may come early as Brewster takes advantage of Lyahkovich’s inactivity, or it may be late as Serguei can have success using a dedicated left jab to keep the WBO Champion off-guard, but a Brewster knockout will eventually come. You can bet on it.

The Official Play: Lamon Brewster by KO, TKO, DQ -200 over Serguei Lyahkovich

(For entertainment purposes only)