interview with serguei lyakhovich

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28.03.06 - By Ike Enwereuzor: Former NABA heavyweight champion Serguei Lyakhovich of Vitebsk, Belarus, with a professional record of (22-1, 14 KO's) now ranked No.13 WBO 13 will challenging WBO Heavyweight Champion Lamon Brewster (33-2, 29 KO's) on April 1, 2006 at Wolstein center, Cleveland, OH, event is promoted by Don King Productions and will be televised on Showtime.

Lyakhovich, the once beaten professional heavyweight contender represented his country, Belarus in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA and suffered a controversial one-point to Paea Wolfgramm who went on to capture the silver medal losing to Wladimir Klitschko. In 1997, he also won a Bronze medal at the world amateur Boxing championship. This is what he had to say about his showdown with the WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster:


Ike: Thanks for taking out time from your busy schedule to speak with us. How long have you been preparing for this fight Brewster?

Lyakhovich: I actually started training about 7 weeks ago for strength and boxing about a month ago, but I was training all last year for many fights, which all fell through. I was supposed to fight Jameel McCline, Chris Byrd. However, they came back to me and said the fight wouldn't happen because of some rating issues. Wladimir Klitschko was supposed to be in Germany, but I lost my passport, so I had to go to my country to correct my papers before I could go to Germany to fight him, which left me with no time to train for the fight. Also, was supposed to fight Owen Beck and some other guys, but these fights never happened, either. Now, I'm fighting for the heavyweight championship. They may say I was off for a year, but I was training all that time.

Ike: When and how did you start your amateur career?

Lyakhovich: I started when I was about 12, in my Country, Belarus. My father loved Boxing, so we used to watch some fights together, but before boxing, I was Free Style Wrestler. I won a Bronze Medal in the 1997 world amateur Boxing championship game, in Hungary. I was in Olympics in Atlanta 1996. I lost by one point to the silver medalist, who lost to Wladimir Klitschko in finals. I won a lot of tournaments as an amateur.

Ike: How did you get the name "White Wolf"?

Lyakhovich: I like this animal, because he's a very smart animal and a great hunter. I'm from Belarus, meaning "White Russian."

Ike: You're fighting Lamon Brewster for his WBO heavyweight title on April 1st. How is training and what can you tell us about this fight?

Lyakhovich: Everything is fine and going great. It will be my first fight on Showtime and I know it'll be a great show to watch. Lamon Brewster hasn't shown me anything special, so if he fights me the same way he usually fights, he'll have a big, big problem. All he has is heart and power, so I hope he's ready because I'll be prepared for everything he's got. I'll do everything to win this fight, and everybody will see what will happen. It's will be a great fight to watch. It you can't make it to the arena, tune in to Showtime.

Ike: Your impression of Brewster?

Lyakhovich: He's a good fighter and has an awkward left hook. I watched his fights on tape; He has heart and power but that's all he's got. If he fights me the same way he fought his past opponents, he'll be in big trouble, I can tell you that right now. I'll be ready for whatever he brings.

Ike: Rahman-Toney fight; what did you think of it?

Lyakhovich: I don't really want to talk about that fight. I expected much more from James Toney. I mean, he came in there out of shape, so I don't think he gave it 100% effort.

Ike: What did you learn from your fight with Maurice Harris?

Lyakhovich: They said it was a knockout. Yes, he dropped me but I got up. However, they just stopped the the fight. I don't want take anything away from Maurice Harris, because he was a more experienced boxer than me but I wasn't ready for that kind of fight yet. He had questions but I had no answers. I learned a lot from that fight, and it was good for me and thank God, I got together with Kenny Weldon, who has help me a lot and give what I need. I never stop learning.

Ike: Tell us about your fight with Derrell Dixon?

Lyakhovich: It was long time ago; I have changed trainers since then to try something new. Derrell is a tough boxer, also. I'm a better fighter, now.

Ike: How would you rate your performance in your last fight in December 2004, against Dominick Guinn?

Lyakhovich: I sparred with Dominick Guinn before that fight, and I knew his style. He's very much basic but uses his jab a lot. However, if you take his jab away from him, he has nothing left. I tried to move side to side and confuse him. I fought Guinn after I had right hand surgery

Ike: You fought Friday Ahunanya for the NABA heavyweight championship. How would you discribe the fight?

Lyakhovich: It was a tough fight and it was a huge arena with plenty of people but I stayed focused and won the fight. It was my first HBO fight.

Ike: What was your fight with Sedrick Fields?

Lyakhovich: It was a tough fight but won every round.

Ike: Any predictions for the Byrd-Klitschko II?

Lyakhovich: I think Klitschko will beat Chris Byrd again.

Ike: Judah-Mayweather fight?

Lyakhovich: I pick Mayweather to win that fight.

Ike: Tarver-Hopkins?

Lyakhovich: I think Antonio Tarver will pull off the victory. Hopkins is a great champion but his time has passed.

Ike: What's it like working Ivaylo Gotzev?

Lyakhovich: He's my manager and does a good job. Everything is nice.

Ike: What was your toughest professional fight?

Lyakhovich: I had a few tough fights; this guy from Russia, Alex Vasilev. I fought him in amateurs two times and beat him both times but they were tough fights for me. After that, I fought him again in professional in my second professional fight.

Ike: Any comments to your fans what to expect April 1?

Lyakhovich: I want to thank everyone that has supported me and I want them to come out and support or tune in to Showtime. It's going to be an interesting fight to watch

Special thanks to Lyakhovich Ivaylo Gotzev and John Beyrooty of Brener Zwikel for making this interview possible. Don't forget to checkout the Jacboxer weekly TV Show every saturday 12 Noon EST, 9AM PST. Just log on to next saturday http://www.bcat.tv/bcat - Then click on TV2, chan: 68

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Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - Old School Gym, Cleveland, Ohio. The 20th anniversary celebration of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING continues with a WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT on Saturday, April 1, when "Relentless" Lamon Brewster defends his WBO title against Sergei "The White Wolf'' Liakhovich. The 12-round world title fight at Wolstein Center at Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio is promoted by Don King Productions and will air on SHOWTIME at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the west coast).

"RELENTLESS'' LAMON BREWSTER (33-2, 29 KOs)

"School's in session on Saturday night. I'll be the teacher.

"Sergei has a good record and in order to go to the next level this type of competition is necessary. Sergei doesn't have the credentials I have, but he is a good fighter and should not be overlooked.

"God willing, if I get past Liakhovich on Saturday, I will be ready for any of the other heavyweight champions, including Hasim Rahman.

"You have no idea how much it means to me to be fighting in the birthplace of Michael 'Dynamite' Dokes. It makes it that much more special that the last heavyweight championship fight in the Cleveland area in 1983 featured Michael.

"This is the best training camp that I have had since the death of my trainer Bill Slayton."

BREWSTER'S TRAINER, BUDDY MCGIRT

"We started training camp in January. He has had exceptional sparring. Lamon's confidence level has grown and he is doing things that come natural to him. We are bringing out his natural talent.

"Whether or not this fight goes 12 rounds is up to Liakhovich.

"If Lamon has to bite down, he will bite down. I am not doubting Sergei. But everyone knows how Lamon can punch. Sergei was knocked out by someone who doesn't punch as hard as Lamon (Maurice Harris)."

SERGEI "THE WHITE WOLF" LIAKHOVICH (22-1, 14 KOs)

"I am in very good condition and I am prepared for anything Brewster brings. I'm relaxed. I am perfectly focused. Kenny Weldon and I have gone through lots of possible scenarios for this fight. Our team really got together and we had the best camp we've ever had. I was paired up with the best sparring partners.

"I don't care what Lamon's doing. I am ready.

"I don't like to talk about where I grew up. These fighters who say they're from the streets can go send someone to my neighborhood and see it for themselves.

"My friends and family in Belarus will all go to a night club to watch the fight. They will be up at 8 a.m. to see it. A win by me on Saturday night would bring much happiness to my country."

LIAKHOVICH'S TRAINER, KENNY WELDON

"Lamon has had it easy. Sergei has lived in places that make Harlem look like a palace. Every fighter that goes into the ring has a street mentality. Every fighter comes to win.

"Sergei is a better fighter than Brewster. Much better. He has better moves. He's quicker. He is a complete fighter. Sergei has only been knocked out three times in his career and that includes 150 amateur fights."