Sam Simon Leaving Millions to Charity
“I can knockout anyone I can touch, but I can’t knockout this cancer for him.” A devastated Lamon Brewster on former boxing manager’s battle against cancer.
Hollywood producer Sam Simon is fighting for his life while courageously battling Stage 4 colon cancer.
Simon (known for “The Simpsons”) is a producer, director, writer, philanthropist AND boxing manager (named the 2004 WBO Manager of the Year). Heavyweight Lamon Brewster was in his stable for years and knows him well as you’ll hear in my exclusive chat with the pugilist. I, myself, crossed paths with Sam at a couple of boxing events in the past and also ran into him in Vegas (he is an avid poker player). He was always friendly and down-to-earth, and clearly, loved boxing.
“He was the first boxing manager who actually sparred with his fighters!” Lamon tells me with a chuckle. “He was tough! Sam is an extraordinary person and I’m mortified of this cancer he has.” The two men shared their passion for the sweet science–a bond built through boxing, their shared sense of humor, a brotherhood that continued even after their manager-fighter relationship ended abruptly.
Sadly, TV, radio and online reports have featured interviews with the famed mogul dying from cancer that was first diagnosed around October 2012. In March of this year (on Howard Stern’s radio show), Sam said he was given just three to six months to live since the cancer has now spread to his liver, kidneys, abdomen, lymph system, and possibly brain.
While valiantly facing this deadly foe, the 58-year-old Simon says he will be donating the bulk of his fortune to charity. He has truly been an inspiration to many when he created his own Sam Simon Foundation, dedicated to providing service dogs for veterans, hearing dogs, pet adoptions and more. The Emmy award winner plans on donating millions to several nonprofits.
As a co-creator and developer of famed “The Simpsons” animated TV series, Simon is also known for “Taxi,” “Cheers,” “The George Carlin Show,” The Drew Carey Show,” and more. Reports are that he gets an estimated $10 million dollars a year just from “The Simpsons” alone. A longtime philanthropist, Sam will leave this eternal gift of millions that will benefit countless of individuals.
While he is well known in Tinsel Town, Simon is no stranger to the boxing world. He frequented the legendary Wild Card Boxing Club where he first met former heavyweight champ “Relentless” Lamon Brewster. I caught up with the boxer and his wife, Juana, in a phone interview today. The Brewsters are now living in Indiana (to be close to family) where Lamon trains inner-city youth, young contenders and future champs. They are understandably very upset, saying they first found out about Sam’s cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Simon and Brewster initially met at Wild Card where Sam and Lamon worked out in the ring together. Simon even had some amateur fights of his own. When Brewster (who trained with Bill Slayton and then Shadeed Suluki) needed a new boxing manager, Sam stepped in and the pair worked together for several fights. The most notable bout during their time together was when Lamon beat Wladimir Klitschko for the WBO heavyweight championship in 2004. The producer/manager was like a father-figure to Brewster, who says he grew up in the ghetto.
During my conversation with the Indianapolis puncher, Brewster (a future California Boxing Hall of Famer) told me how he first met Simon, what it was like during their championship heyday (including their sparring sessions!), and the regret and pain after their partnership was severed. Most importantly, the slugger talks about his love and respect of Sam, who has built a lasting legacy.
Michele Chong: Hi Champ! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Sam…
Lamon Brewster: Hi Michele. First, I definitely wanna say that I accredit all my success to trainer Bill Slayton and Sam Simon for believing in me.
MC: Tell me about meeting Sam at Wild Card.
LB: I was training at Wild Card and I told Freddie Roach (who I’ve known since I was 18 years old when he was training Mickey Rourke) if he could introduce me to someone who could help manage me. So Sam came over and we talked. I had no idea who he was at the time or how wealthy he was! (Laughs) He is so wealthy but I always teased him that he dressed like a “bum”! He would wear ratty jeans and regular T-shirts with like a million-dollar watch. But he was always a classy guy. I called him “Bruce Wayne,” he was like a crime fighter and he drove a black Bentley like the Batmobile!
MC: What was it like having him as your boxing manager?
LB: Sam was instrumental in my career. I was with him the entire time I had my titles beginning with my first title in my fight against Nate Jones. I looked up to him like a father. He is a special person and he treated me like a son. We’ve been all over the world together, to the Great Wall of China and so many places. We’ve done some amazing things together and he was close to my family too. Working with Sam was one of the best things that ever happened to me. My relationship with him went far beyond business; it was a father-son relationship.
MC: When it didn’t work out between you two, you stayed in contact?
LB: Yeah, I listened to people I shouldn’t have and it didn’t work out. We severed the relationship but we never lost contact. I was hurt; he was hurt. And from Day 1 after the relationship ended, I lived my life with regret and pain about how it ended.
MC: When is the last time you saw him?
LB: I saw him last year at his Pacific Palisades house. He probably had cancer at the time, but never said anything to us so I didn’t find out until a couple of months ago. He has been a vegan for years and years. He is so tough so I just don’t know how he got colon cancer, maybe it runs in his family? I’ve bee so upset by this; I know him very well and I know he’s strong but it’s so hard to see him go through this. As a man, I want to be able to help him through this. I told him, “I can knockout anyone I can touch, but I can’t knockout this cancer for him.” It’s just so upsetting.
He is truly gonna be missed. He is the funniest person I know, a straight shooter who doesn’t lie, and just such a special person. God puts people on Earth like Sam–special people with special gifts. When he’s gone it will be like a light blown out; the skies are gonna be less bright.
MC: What are some of your favorite memories of working with Sam?
LB: All the traveling and also our sparring sessions.
MC: So he would hold the mitts for you?
LB: No! He held gloves with his balled up fists inside! (Laughs) It was actual sparring. Sam would try and knock my head off; he wanted to knock me out! He made me a better inside fighter because he was a wrestler at Stanford so he’d “cheat” and use leverage and lower his shoulder and stuff. (Laughs)
MC: How are his boxing skills?
LB: I told Sam he was like the “white” Joe Frazier! Not with his outside fighting but with his inside work. He was a tough guy with all his wrestling in college. And his left hook could level a building!
MC: You two had a great run in boxing…
LB: Yes, he is great at everything he does. I would tell him he’s like “King Solomon” ’cause everything he touched turned to gold! I’m so upset with his cancer; I’m just mortified. He changed–and shaped–my whole life.
MC: To honor your success in boxing, you’re being inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame in October. You will return to California for this event. What would it mean to you if Sam could be there?
LB: Oh man…(Holds back tears) It would be such an emotional thing! It would be a great reunion but I worry I won’t get to see him again face to face. (Pause) If I could see him again, I would tell him how much I love him and how much he did for me during my career. But I don’t know, only God knows if I’ll be able to see him again. I just want him to know what a special person he truly is!
MC: I hope you get your reunion in October when you receive your California induction. So for now, you will continue living in Indiana?
LB: Yes, both Juana and I have a lot of family here and my grandfather is 85 now so we want to spend as much time with him as possible.
MC: Switching gears a bit, I know you’ve been really busy with a lot of new plans in the works? You’re training at various gyms, you have your Fighting Connection network and also a heavyweight tournament coming up?
LB: I do! We’re planning a heavyweight tournament in several cities with various champs. I’m also starting an “Art of Fighting” series with Michael Moorer, Chris Byrd, Roy Jones Jr., Antonio Tarver and others. This will be boxing workshops and seminars. It will be great! We’re just starting to get the word out now.
MC: It sounds great, Lamon! I will be happy to mention this and I also want to say continued prayers for Sam Simon.
LB: Thank you! I ask everyone to keep saying prayers for Sam.
Lamon Brewster is known as one of the “good guys” in the sport, always humble, a gentle giant wanting to reach out to others. During our phone interview, it showed in his voice and demeanor how his friend and former manager’s bitter prognosis is affecting him. Saddened by the impending loss of his hero, Lamon continued to reminisce about their times together in and out of the ring. He told me funny stories about Simon, including a Don King press conference that stole the show.
Now living in his native Midwest to stay close to his family’s roots, Brewster and wife, Juana, are raising their three kids there. His hope is that when they return to Southern California for Lamon’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction, he will be able to reconnect with Sam. Although it would be bittersweet, Brewster would want nothing more than to see his father figure one last time.
Only time will tell if the boxing manager and his world champ will be able to have one final reunion.
PLEASE KEEP SAM SIMON IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
Photos courtesy of Team Brewster