05-12-2022, 11:44 AM
Junior Fa to fight Lucas Browne on world title undercard
Duncan Johnstone
09:01, May 12 2022
New Zealand heavyweight boxer Junior Fa needs a good win to reignite his career.
Junior Fa is scheduled to meet rugged Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne on a huge night of boxing across the Tasman.
The bout will be part of the undercard for Aussie George Kambosos’s world lightweight unification fight against American Devin Haney in Melbourne on June 5. Kambosos holds the IBF, WBO, WBA belts and Haney has the WBC title.
Fellow New Zealand boxers Hemi Ahio and David Nyika are also expected to feature.
Fa and Browne will fight for the WBA’s Oceania heavyweight title.
It ends a long and frustrating break for Fa, 32, who last fought in February last year, suffering a unanimous points loss in a dull but competitive fight against fellow Kiwi Joseph Parker.
That loss was Fa’s first defeat in 20 fights and cost him his top five ranking with the WBO. His subsequent inactivity has seen him drop out of the top 15.
The 43-year-old Browne has won five of his last seven fights since being savagely knocked out by Britain’s Dillian Whyte in London in 2018.
His record stands at 30-3, but a better indication of his ageing form lies in his first round loss to former Australian rugby league star Paul Gallen who took less than two minutes to knock out Browne last year.
With Fa’s American promoter Lou DiBella putting on the Melbourne show, a spot for his talented Kiwi always seemed logical.
Fa should have too much speed and skill for Browne in what looks like a solid opportunity to relaunch his career close to home in high-profile circumstances.
Duncan Johnstone
09:01, May 12 2022
New Zealand heavyweight boxer Junior Fa needs a good win to reignite his career.
Junior Fa is scheduled to meet rugged Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne on a huge night of boxing across the Tasman.
The bout will be part of the undercard for Aussie George Kambosos’s world lightweight unification fight against American Devin Haney in Melbourne on June 5. Kambosos holds the IBF, WBO, WBA belts and Haney has the WBC title.
Fellow New Zealand boxers Hemi Ahio and David Nyika are also expected to feature.
Fa and Browne will fight for the WBA’s Oceania heavyweight title.
It ends a long and frustrating break for Fa, 32, who last fought in February last year, suffering a unanimous points loss in a dull but competitive fight against fellow Kiwi Joseph Parker.
That loss was Fa’s first defeat in 20 fights and cost him his top five ranking with the WBO. His subsequent inactivity has seen him drop out of the top 15.
The 43-year-old Browne has won five of his last seven fights since being savagely knocked out by Britain’s Dillian Whyte in London in 2018.
His record stands at 30-3, but a better indication of his ageing form lies in his first round loss to former Australian rugby league star Paul Gallen who took less than two minutes to knock out Browne last year.
With Fa’s American promoter Lou DiBella putting on the Melbourne show, a spot for his talented Kiwi always seemed logical.
Fa should have too much speed and skill for Browne in what looks like a solid opportunity to relaunch his career close to home in high-profile circumstances.