Hometown Champ Lamon Brewster Does the Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS (May 26, 2005) — WBO heavyweight champion “Relentless” Lamon Brewster has been tapped to be the Honorary Starter for the final practice session at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Brewster made quick work in defending his title last Saturday against Andrew Golota at the United Center in Chicago after landing three left hooks—all of which resulted in knockdowns—before the referee waved off the action just 53 seconds into round one.

The heavyweight champion is an Indianapolis native, and he is honored by the invitation.

“I’m very excited that the Indianapolis 500 has asked me to be the Honorary Starter for the final practice session on Friday,” Brewster said. “If you’re from Indianapolis, it doesn’t get much bigger than this.”

Brewster’s promoter, Don King, has touted the champion as a Cinderella Man, tying him to boxer James J. Braddock and the release of the major motion picture about his life and career starring Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, which is set to open in theaters across the country on June 3.

“Lamon is America’s new Cinderella Man,” King said. “There is no question about that after his sensational performance last Saturday. Americans are behind Brewster now the way they were behind Braddock during the Great Depression.”

Brewster 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 explained his Cinderella performance by simply stating: “Americans don’t quit.”