By Rick Reeno
Before a hostile crowd in the heart of Hamburg, Germany, WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster stopped hometown favorite, Luan Krasniqi, by way of a ninth round TKO. Krasniqi promised a win on Max Schmeling's 100th birthday, but Brewster would not be denied.
For the first seven rounds of the fight, Krasniqi set the pace and was winning a smart boxing match. As the rounds went on, Brewster sensed that Krasniqi was leading in the cards and became more aggressive. A right hand bomb in the eight round sent Krasniqi down. Krasniqi was able to make it to round nine, but the damage was done.
In the ninth, Brewster started to unload with power punches and sent Krasniqi to the mat for the second time. Krasniqi beat the count, but the referee Jose H. Rivera sensed that Krasniqi was in serious trouble and stopped the fight.
With the win, Brewster sets up a possible big money rematch with the number one contender to his crown, Wladimir Klitschko.