10-03-2017, 09:37 AM
Lucas Browne turns his fury to Joseph Parker
Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne has appeal as an opponent for Joseph Parker because of the trans-Tasman promotion opportunities.
Rugged Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne has been busy calling out Hughie Fury but could have a chance to get a long-heralded shot at Joseph Parker instead.
The 38-year-old Browne was quick to put some heat on the scene after Parker got past Fury by a majority points decision in an ugly WBO world title defence in Manchester on September 24.
Brown, who is promoted by Manchester legend Ricky Hatton, said Parker was the clear winner.
Hughie Fury's running tactics against Joseph Parker didn't impress Lucas Browne.
PHOTOSPORT
Hughie Fury's running tactics against Joseph Parker didn't impress Lucas Browne.
"Parker won for sure. Fury looked like s... and ran like a cat! You won't be able to run for 12 rounds and me not catch you, that's for sure," Brown said. "You can be a cat all you want in the ring and not want to get hit, but I guarantee I'll cut you off, land one and it will be over."
A doping scandal saw Lucas Browne have his WBA super heavyweight belt stripped by authorities.
"I'm looking forward to getting over to the UK to start bashing the UK fighters. By all means, get on to Hatton and let's do this. I'm very excited about this one, good fun."
Brown was on Parker's radar before the Kiwi made his run to the WBO title and Parker's handlers are adamant the Aussie's stand-and-deliver style will suit their man as they look for a knockout performance next up.
There are a couple of complications around Browne – he says he has a "decent fight" scheduled in November and he isn't ranked with the WBO, sitting at No 13 with the WBC after a long period of inactivity through drug allegations in the wake of his WBA world "super" title win over Ruslan Chagaev in Russia in March last year.
Browne had the title stripped from him and is now looking to rebuild his career which sits at 25-0 with 22 KOs.
It's a fight that would draw a crowd in New Zealand or Australia with its trans-Tasman appeal but there is also a feeling that Parker may have surpassed that now.
Parker wants to be back in the ring in December and isn't short of options as his promoter David Higgins sifts through offers and his clever matchmaker Stuart Duncan and trainer Kevin Barry look at what will work best.
Having battled his way past Fury, Parker finally has a voluntary defence and can choose his opponent.
Japanese heavyweight Kyotaro Fujimoto, the WBO NO 9, remains in the mix with genuine appeal around a Tokyo fight though the pay-per-view market in New Zealand might be a struggle.
Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang, the WBO No 12, is also an option as the lucrative Asian market sits there for the taking in this division, especially with one of the four main belts on the table.
Russian Alexander Povetkin's handlers have also been reportedly sounding out the Parker camp.
Povetkin sits at No 5 with the WBA, No 8 with the WBO and No 12 with the IBF, proof of his credentials.
He isn't tall but he does have some power. He is 32-1 with his only loss coming at the hands oif Wladimir Klitschko in 2013, a fight that went the distance. Povetkin knocked out Carlos Takam in 2014.
But there are unnecessary risks with the 37-year-old former Olympic champion who has a bad history of doping, twice testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in an eight-month span in 2016 in the lead-up to WBC title bouts.
In March the WBC fined him US$250,000 and suspended him from fighting in any of their sanctioned events for a year.
- Stuff
Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne has appeal as an opponent for Joseph Parker because of the trans-Tasman promotion opportunities.
Rugged Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne has been busy calling out Hughie Fury but could have a chance to get a long-heralded shot at Joseph Parker instead.
The 38-year-old Browne was quick to put some heat on the scene after Parker got past Fury by a majority points decision in an ugly WBO world title defence in Manchester on September 24.
Brown, who is promoted by Manchester legend Ricky Hatton, said Parker was the clear winner.
Hughie Fury's running tactics against Joseph Parker didn't impress Lucas Browne.
PHOTOSPORT
Hughie Fury's running tactics against Joseph Parker didn't impress Lucas Browne.
"Parker won for sure. Fury looked like s... and ran like a cat! You won't be able to run for 12 rounds and me not catch you, that's for sure," Brown said. "You can be a cat all you want in the ring and not want to get hit, but I guarantee I'll cut you off, land one and it will be over."
A doping scandal saw Lucas Browne have his WBA super heavyweight belt stripped by authorities.
"I'm looking forward to getting over to the UK to start bashing the UK fighters. By all means, get on to Hatton and let's do this. I'm very excited about this one, good fun."
Brown was on Parker's radar before the Kiwi made his run to the WBO title and Parker's handlers are adamant the Aussie's stand-and-deliver style will suit their man as they look for a knockout performance next up.
There are a couple of complications around Browne – he says he has a "decent fight" scheduled in November and he isn't ranked with the WBO, sitting at No 13 with the WBC after a long period of inactivity through drug allegations in the wake of his WBA world "super" title win over Ruslan Chagaev in Russia in March last year.
Browne had the title stripped from him and is now looking to rebuild his career which sits at 25-0 with 22 KOs.
It's a fight that would draw a crowd in New Zealand or Australia with its trans-Tasman appeal but there is also a feeling that Parker may have surpassed that now.
Parker wants to be back in the ring in December and isn't short of options as his promoter David Higgins sifts through offers and his clever matchmaker Stuart Duncan and trainer Kevin Barry look at what will work best.
Having battled his way past Fury, Parker finally has a voluntary defence and can choose his opponent.
Japanese heavyweight Kyotaro Fujimoto, the WBO NO 9, remains in the mix with genuine appeal around a Tokyo fight though the pay-per-view market in New Zealand might be a struggle.
Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang, the WBO No 12, is also an option as the lucrative Asian market sits there for the taking in this division, especially with one of the four main belts on the table.
Russian Alexander Povetkin's handlers have also been reportedly sounding out the Parker camp.
Povetkin sits at No 5 with the WBA, No 8 with the WBO and No 12 with the IBF, proof of his credentials.
He isn't tall but he does have some power. He is 32-1 with his only loss coming at the hands oif Wladimir Klitschko in 2013, a fight that went the distance. Povetkin knocked out Carlos Takam in 2014.
But there are unnecessary risks with the 37-year-old former Olympic champion who has a bad history of doping, twice testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in an eight-month span in 2016 in the lead-up to WBC title bouts.
In March the WBC fined him US$250,000 and suspended him from fighting in any of their sanctioned events for a year.
- Stuff