03-25-2018, 02:54 PM
Brutal KO loss takes Lucas Browne out of Joseph Parker equation as Dillian Whyte stays in heavyweight title mix
Dillian Whyte celebrates his sixth round knockout victory over Lucas Browne during their WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship at The O2 Arena in London.
Rugged Australian heavyweight boxer Lucas Browne was literally knocked out of the Joseph Parker equation on Sunday.
Browne left London's O2 Arena on a stretcher after being brutally knocked unconscious by a left hook to the temple from local contender Dillian Whyte 37 seconds into the sixth round.
Browne was in serious negotiations with Parker as a backup option if the world heavyweight unification fight with Anthony Joshua couldn't be arranged.
When Parker's bosses secured the huge deal with Joshua, a desperate Browne opted to fight Whyte - with disastrous consequences.
Even if Parker were to lose to Joshua in their unification fight in Cardiff next Sunday Browne is of little value to Parker now, such was the manner of this defeat.
This was just his first loss in 26 fights but time has clearly passed by the 38-year-old former bouncer in terms of the championship level.
He looked every bit his age, overweight and ponderous, with the time lost to two suspensions – this was just his second fight in two years – clearly taking its toll.
He is off the pace of the new generation of heavyweights as Whyte exposed from the opening bell.
He split Browne's left eyebrow open in the first round and turned the visitor's face into a bloody mess with persistent pummelling.
Browne was brave but nothing more. He was beaten to the punch by Whyte's superior hand speed and when he did manage to land anything, the Briton quickly countered with some powerful body shots.
Not even transTasman rivalry could promote a clash between Browne and Parker now.
Whyte, meanwhile, stays right in the mix with this win, defending his WBC silver belt, a secondary version to Deontay's Wilder's real thing. Whyte is the mandatory challenger to American Wilder and is desperate for a title shot.
If Parker beats Joshua and forces a rematch, then Wilder could be ordered to fight Whyte by the sanctioning body.
If Joshua wins, then it's likely he will immediately move to fight Wilder and try to claim all four of the major belts.
That would mean ongoing frustration for the powerful and ruthless Whyte who lived up to his nickname of "The Bodysnatcher" with this performance.
This wasn't a pleasant scene for Browne in front of a raucous home crowd with Whyte based just across the Thames in Brixton.
Booed into the ring, he did leave to an applause that was based around relief more than acknowledgement of his rusted skills.
After withstanding a beating, Browne dropped in an instant when the crushing left hook from Whyte landed.
The referee waved the fight off in an instant and Browne's team and medical staff jumped into the ring into an instant. He lay motionless for a long period while oxygen was administered. Eventually he was lifted on to his haunches and taken to his corner where he sat limply on the stool.
A weary wave to the crowd eased concerns as the doctor undertook a lengthy examination. He was helped out of the ring and then put sitting on a stretcher as he was taken away.
There was a chilling silence among the crowd though that was broken by the outspoken Whyte finding his voice in calling out Wilder.
"Where are you at Wilder? Let's go, no more excuses, let's go" Whyte shouted.
Calming down he added: "I need the challenge. When the challenge is there, that's when I rise."
Whyte is promoted by Joshua's boss Eddie Hearn who has a bit on his plate at the moment but knows he has a live option in his second heavyweight.
- Stuff
Dillian Whyte celebrates his sixth round knockout victory over Lucas Browne during their WBC Silver Heavyweight Championship at The O2 Arena in London.
Rugged Australian heavyweight boxer Lucas Browne was literally knocked out of the Joseph Parker equation on Sunday.
Browne left London's O2 Arena on a stretcher after being brutally knocked unconscious by a left hook to the temple from local contender Dillian Whyte 37 seconds into the sixth round.
Browne was in serious negotiations with Parker as a backup option if the world heavyweight unification fight with Anthony Joshua couldn't be arranged.
When Parker's bosses secured the huge deal with Joshua, a desperate Browne opted to fight Whyte - with disastrous consequences.
Even if Parker were to lose to Joshua in their unification fight in Cardiff next Sunday Browne is of little value to Parker now, such was the manner of this defeat.
This was just his first loss in 26 fights but time has clearly passed by the 38-year-old former bouncer in terms of the championship level.
He looked every bit his age, overweight and ponderous, with the time lost to two suspensions – this was just his second fight in two years – clearly taking its toll.
He is off the pace of the new generation of heavyweights as Whyte exposed from the opening bell.
He split Browne's left eyebrow open in the first round and turned the visitor's face into a bloody mess with persistent pummelling.
Browne was brave but nothing more. He was beaten to the punch by Whyte's superior hand speed and when he did manage to land anything, the Briton quickly countered with some powerful body shots.
Not even transTasman rivalry could promote a clash between Browne and Parker now.
Whyte, meanwhile, stays right in the mix with this win, defending his WBC silver belt, a secondary version to Deontay's Wilder's real thing. Whyte is the mandatory challenger to American Wilder and is desperate for a title shot.
If Parker beats Joshua and forces a rematch, then Wilder could be ordered to fight Whyte by the sanctioning body.
If Joshua wins, then it's likely he will immediately move to fight Wilder and try to claim all four of the major belts.
That would mean ongoing frustration for the powerful and ruthless Whyte who lived up to his nickname of "The Bodysnatcher" with this performance.
This wasn't a pleasant scene for Browne in front of a raucous home crowd with Whyte based just across the Thames in Brixton.
Booed into the ring, he did leave to an applause that was based around relief more than acknowledgement of his rusted skills.
After withstanding a beating, Browne dropped in an instant when the crushing left hook from Whyte landed.
The referee waved the fight off in an instant and Browne's team and medical staff jumped into the ring into an instant. He lay motionless for a long period while oxygen was administered. Eventually he was lifted on to his haunches and taken to his corner where he sat limply on the stool.
A weary wave to the crowd eased concerns as the doctor undertook a lengthy examination. He was helped out of the ring and then put sitting on a stretcher as he was taken away.
There was a chilling silence among the crowd though that was broken by the outspoken Whyte finding his voice in calling out Wilder.
"Where are you at Wilder? Let's go, no more excuses, let's go" Whyte shouted.
Calming down he added: "I need the challenge. When the challenge is there, that's when I rise."
Whyte is promoted by Joshua's boss Eddie Hearn who has a bit on his plate at the moment but knows he has a live option in his second heavyweight.
- Stuff