The WBA’s No. 2-ranked heavyweight contender Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne (23-0, 20 KOs) is never one to mince words. Thus, it comes as no surprise he has blatantly called out WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, No. 9-ranked David Haye, and newly crowned IBF champion Charles Martin.
Browne has a chance to become WBA champion when he faces current titleholder Ruslan Chagaev in the first round of the governing body’s heavyweight tournament on March 5. The tournament is designed to eliminate the multiple champion concept within the WBA’s heavyweight division, and Browne is firmly entrenched in the scrum. Apparently, the tattooed Aussie isn’t going to be satisfied with the WBA strap if he rips it away from Chagaev.
Per Ray Wheatley of FightNews.com, the 36-year-old Australian with an 86.96 percent KO percentage said: “I’d love to fight and unify against all of them.” Browne had less than ringing endorsements for Wilder, Haye and Martin after all three men competed on January 16.
He was perhaps most critical of Wilder. “Wilder was his usual self,” said Browne. “Not all that impressive and showing that he has a lot to learn about boxing—especially after he made himself fall to the ground after swinging a punch too hard.”
Wilder scored an exciting ninth-round KO of Artur Szpilka, but the latter gave the champion some issues before he ran into a titanic right hand that caused the rugged Pole to leave the ring on a stretcher. According to BoxRec, Wilder was up on all three cards when he scored the KO win.
Martin won the vacant IBF title with a third-round TKO victory over Vyacheslav Glazkov on the undercard of Wilder vs. Szpilka. Glazkov succumbed to a knee injury and couldn’t continue. Browne seemed partially impressed with Martin, but the abrupt and inconclusive ending left the sentence unpunctuated.
Browne said: “Martin was fighting well, but I had neither of them winning at the time of Glazkov’s injury and would’ve liked to have seen some more rounds.”
Big Daddy made a valid point as the fight would have been a draw had it been scored after three rounds. One judge had Martin up 20-18, another had the same score in favor of Glazkov and the other had it even at 19.’
Haye isn’t a champion, but he clearly had the best fan turnout for his bout with little-known Mark de Mori. Fans weren’t around for long as Haye disposed of his overmatched opponent in the first round at the O2 Arena in London. Browne clearly doesn’t think much of de Mori as opposition.
There’s little question, fear and timidity don’t figure to be words one would use to describe Browne’s approach in the ring. Should we get an opportunity to see him in the ring with any of the three men he’s targeted, we’re almost certain to see fireworks.
This article was penned by the author who is not related to the WBA and the statements, expressions or opinions referenced herein are that of the author alone and not the WBA.
