If Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne ( 23-0) becomes the first Australian
to win a World Heavyweight Boxing crown on Sunday, it will be some feat.
Not just for the fact that the fight is being held in the heart
of Chechnya, or that his opponent, Ruslan Chagaev hasn’t lost since 2011.
When Lucas Browne first entered a boxing ring for his professional debut in 2009, Chagaev was going toe to toe with Wladimir Klitschko, attempting to defend the same title he'll carry to the ring on Sunday.
Browne's story is inspiring and its greatest chapter may yet be written. But he'll have to bridge a huge gap in experience to do so.
Browne has had to play a patient game waiting for the World
Boxing Association to honour his position as mandatory challenger to the Uzbek
champion.
The 36-year-old Australian doesn’t want to miss his
opportunity and has thrown himself into training.
He hasn’t been fitter and he’s hardly missed a day in the
gym.
Sparring has looked sharp and Browne doesn’t seem rattled by the big stage
that awaits him.
Physically he holds the edge, standing seven inches taller
than Chagaev and with a three inch reach advantage.
Chagaev may hold the nickname ‘White Tyson’, but it’s Browne
who adopts that fighting style, with an 87% knockout percentage.
A knockout is probably what he’ll need on Sunday if he is to
take the title, with the Uzbek firmly in home territory, albeit the Russian
city of Grozny, where he’s won previously.
But whilst the Australian holds the advantage in the key
stats, the biggest difference in this fight won’t be physical.
A look at the champions resume only highlights this.
Chagaev most recently knocked out Fransesco Pianeta (31-1)
in explosive fashion, needing just one round and the 37-year-old has victories over Nicolay Valuev and Kali Meehan.
Only two men have ever beaten Chagaev, World Champions
Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin.
The WBA Champion is the more seasoned - Chagaev has been in wars.
Whilst Browne has never tasted defeat, you can’t help but
question his preparation and the lack of big names on his resume.
His most recent opponent was Julius Long, a man who came in
with 16 wins and 18 losses.
It was expected to be an easy night, only it wasn’t.
A broken hand early on made it tough for Browne and the
prime time viewing audience throughout Australia would have been questioning
his world title chances.
Before Long, it was a fight with Chauncey Welliver (55-8),
who had lost three of his last five going in.
A routine knockout victory followed for Browne, but it did
little to grow his mystique.
Both fights are hardly ideal world title preparation and do
little to equip Browne for the challenge that awaits in Chechnya.
Criticism has come as Browne has battled promotional difficulties,
with the fighter himself taking to social media to voice his frustration at handlers,
Hatton Boxing.
The Australian has also bounced around trainers in recent
times as well, with Ricky Hatton, Jeff Fenech and now Nigel Benn holding the
reigns.
But criticism aside,
Browne has shown he’s willing to do whatever takes to claim the title.
He moved to the other side of the world and that dedication saw
him improve in the ring and quickly climb the rankings.
Browne has his shot; it’s now up to him to take it.
There are plenty of
reasons to write him off, but his knockout power means he’s always in the
fight.
One punch can change everything and Browne won’t die
wondering.
Both Daniel Geale and Sam Soliman have shown how to win
world titles in hostile European environments in recent years, with work rate
and sheer will being the difference on those occasions.
The Heavyweight scene was rocked when Tyson Fury downed
Wladimir Klitschko, and new hope Anthony Joshua has a world title shot, with Joseph Parker also waiting in the wings.
Change is upon us and Browne will not just create history on
Sunday with victory; he can have his pick of some of the biggest names in the
division.
Many may see it as mission impossible, but good luck telling Lucas
Browne that.
PREDICTION: Ruslan
Chagaev by decision
Lucas Browne vs Ruslan
Chagaev, WBA Heavyweight Boxing Title, Sunday 8am MAIN EVENT Pay Per View
