Puncher or punching bag?

Dean Juipe

Thursday, April 1, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

A year removed from a stunning loss, Wladimir Klitschko goes into his April 10 fight with Lamon Brewster as something of an unknown quantity.

Is he the big puncher who has built a 42-2 record with 39 knockouts?

Or is he the stand-up, weak-chinned European who was destroyed in four rounds by Corrie Sanders a year ago?

The answer may be determined by how Klitschko fares against Brewster when they fight at Mandalay Bay, although the lingering uncertainty may be contributing to the fact a betting line at the host site's sports book has yet to be posted.

"I'm feeling pretty confident," Klitschko said Wednesday during a conference call from his camp in Los Angeles. "In fact, I'm more confident than I was a year ago."

But Brewster may be, too.

"I don't want to take anything from Klitschko -- he is what he is," said Brewster, who is also training in Los Angeles. "But I'm a good, fast American fighter who is not afraid to punch back.

"I don't think Klitschko has ever faced a body puncher like me.

"I know he's a big favorite but if I perform up to my capabilities, I will win."

Brewster, 30, is 29-2 with 26 KOs. Despite earlier, disheartening losses to Charles Shufford and Clifford Etienne, he has bounced back to stop his last five opponents.

"I have nothing to lose," Brewster said of fighting Klitschko, who is part of a well-financed team (and promotional campaign) that includes his brother Vitali and trainers Emanuel Steward and Fritz Sdunek.

Vitali Klitschko will fight Sanders April 24 in Los Angeles.

"I've never been in a camp more diligent," Steward said of the Klitschko brothers going from sunup to sundown with only a couple of scheduled breaks every day. "Their day is fully occupied by training. They have a tremendous thirst for knowledge."

One thing the Klitschkos have learned is to not take an opponent lightly.

"Any fighter over 200 pounds has a big punch," Wladimir Klitschko said. "That's why the heavyweight division is so interesting, because one punch can decide it.

"Of course, I don't want to underestimate Lamon Brewster. He's very experienced and has good skills.

"He has the same wish I do (and) he's coming right away in the first few rounds.

"It's an interesting fight because he wants this title just as much as I do."

Wladimir Klitschko vs. Brewster will be for the vacant World Boxing Organization heavyweight title, while Vitali Klitschko vs. Sanders will have the vacant World Boxing Council championship at stake. (Mandalay Bay does have a line posted on the latter fight, listing Vitali at a minus 350 and Sanders at a plus 270.)

Wladimir Klitschko, 27, is a 6-foot-7, 240-pound former Olympic gold medalist who is likely to gain an edge by having added Steward as a co-trainer.

"They're extremely serious about their boxing," Steward said of the brothers. "They're also not overconfident by any means and they realize that upsets can happen."

Wladimir Klitschko was a huge favorite in his fight against Sanders, but he was knocked down four times before the bout was stopped and his career was at least temporarily derailed.

"I've learned a lot since then," he said. "I'm itching to fight."