LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE says he’s fitter than ever and ready to make history.
The 36-year-old Australia aims to become his nation’s first ever world heavyweight champion when he squares off with WBA kingpin Ruslan Chagaev in Grozny, Chechnya on March 5.
LUCAS “BIG DADDY” BROWNE has the opportunity to make history when he faces Ruslan Chagaev at the Akhmat Arena in Grozny, Chechnya on March 5. Australia has never had a world champion in the heavyweight division, but the 36-year-old from Sydney aims to change that by ripping the WBA crown away from the experienced Uzbek. Browne has been the mandatory challenger for the title since February, but has had to wait patiently for a shot due to Puerto Rico’s Fres Oquendo being granted a rematch with Chagaev. That return was scrapped in October when Oquendo suffered an injury.
It has been a long, painful and sometimes frustrating road for Browne, however now his faith in his own ability and destiny has been repaid after WBA chairman Gilberto Mendoza mandated on Wednesday that Chagaev’s representatives have 30 days to negotiate the fight with Browne.
Although Lucas is a very approachable and pleasant man outside the ring he looks like he’d eat your Granny in the ring.
Lucas Browne is the former MMA fighter, who won his first boxing contest in 2009 by KO. That has become a familiar outcome for many of his fights since, his record now stands at 22 fights, 22 wins, 19 of which have come by KO or stoppage. Of those 19, only 18 have heard the bell for the start of the 6th round. Impressive stats by anyone’s standards. Whilst he would agree himself he isn’t Ali, he has tremendous ability, huge power, is trained by Jeff Fenech and promoted by Ricky Hatton via Hatton Promotions.
When he realized that he had really done it again, former heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev went down to his knees on Sunday night at Ahmat Arena in Grozny, Russia. It was legendary Michael Buffer who announced Chagaev’s close but well deserved majority decision win (115:113, 115:113, 114:114) over Fres Oquendo which earned the 35-year-old Uzbek the WBA heavyweight championship for the second time in his career.
No other but Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov was the first to congratulate Chagaev in the ring. While the fight lasted Kadyrov even took charge as chief second coaching “his” champion in the corner. It was the leader of the Chechen Republic who brought this world title fight to Grozny along with promoter Timur Dugazaev (TEREK Box Event). Accordingly Chagaev thanked the President for all his help and support.
Tonight in Grozny, Russia, former WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev became a two-time champ, as he won a 12-round majority verdict over Fres Oquendo to pick up the “regular” WBA strap. The scores were 115-113 twice and 114-114. 35-year-old Chagaev is now 33-2-1(20). 41-year-old Oquendo, who felt he had won, fell to 37-8(24).
It was a bizarre night in many ways. The setting for the fight was quite impressive, as was the ring set-up and the pre-fight entertainment. The presence, too, of Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov was quite unique. As for the fight itself, the action was intriguing enough in the early rounds, with southpaw Chagaev pressing the action in his usual bull-like fashion. Fast-handed, Chagaev out-jabbed the taller Oquendo, winning the early to middle rounds. Neither man was noticeably hurt, until Chagaev picked up a nasty cut above the left eye in the 7th.
Former world heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev is wrapping up training camp for his July 6th WBA world championship bout against Puerto Rican veteran Fres Oquendo on Grozny, Russia. The “White Tyson” has done most of his preparation in the Chechen capital training not only with head coach Artur Grigorian and his manager Timur Dugazaev but also with a “political heavyweight”: Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov who is a huge boxing fan and used to be a decent amateur fighter himself.
Kadyrov is one of the main factors of the world title fight landing in Chechnya. The President and his government support the promotion and are turning Grozny into a huge boxing ring for the event
By Rob Smith: Former WBA World heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev (30-2-1, 19 KO’s) will be taking a risky bout against unbeaten Cuban prospect Mike Perez (18-0, 12 KO’s) on December 1st in a scheduled 12 round bout at the Burg-Waechter Castello, in Dusseldorf, Germany. Chagaev, 34, wants to get another title shot and for that to happen he needs impressive wins over the likes of Perez and other quality heavyweights. Perez, 27, is an interesting fighter with a lot of potential if he would only fight often enough.