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IBF/IBO Heavyweight Champion Wladimir Klitschko put on a masterclass last night at the Kolnarena in Koln, Germany, avenging a 2004 loss to Lamon Brewster with breathtaking efficiency, forcing the American’s corner to throw in the towel at the close of the sixth round.
Unlike three years ago, Klitschko didn’t run out of energy this time against Brewster, patiently letting the offense flow and delivering a vicious once sided beating to the iron chinned former WBO Champion.
The fight started off with both men jabbing but Klitschko’s found the target more often. Brewster began to focus on the body when in range and mixed in a few left hooks as well.
In the second, Brewster scored with a lunging left hook but Klitschko took it well and began to work off the jab and started to shake his rival with heavy right hands.
The third saw the same patterns as the earlier frames, Brewster jabbing and trying for the body but Klitschko began to pull away, raking the American with two handed combinations that kept Brewster from getting too ambitious on the offensive end.
Klitschko really controlled the distance in the fourth, rooting Brewster in place with the best jab in the division and laying on the punishment as the challenger tried in vain to improve upon his bodywork of the earlier rounds.
The fifth saw Brewster up his activity rate but aside from a few body shots and the odd hook landed, it was all Klitschko. Brewster upping his workrate just gave Wladimir more openings and “Dr. Steelhammer” took full advantage, hurting his nemesis with riveting right hands and sledgehammer left hooks.
Brewster tried backing up Klitschko in the sixth but paid dearly for the ground gained, receiving a rain of hurtful jabs. As Brewster goes for broke, Klitschko goes for the kill, spearing the American with terrifying power shots that almost drop the big hearted challenger at times.
As the bell rings to end the sixth, Brewster’s trainer Buddy McGuirt stops the bout.
Klitschko revenges a loss in style and serves notice to the rest of the division that he is clearly standing atop the heap of heavyweights. The 31 year old Ukrainian improves to 49-3 (44) while 34 year old Brewster loses for the second time in a row, falling to 33-4 (29).
