By Gav Duthie: Will Lucas Browne 22-0 (19) be added to a long list of hyped heavyweights exposed as they step up in class. The WBA have ordered a defence for their regular champion Ruslan Chagaev 33-2-1 (20) to face the Australian Browne.
Heavyweights Exposed
Matchmaking is very difficult at heavyweight because one punch can end it all. There is much more chance of big knockout upsets than in any other division. As a result promoters massively over-protect their fighters on the way up but in the end they get horribly exposed. Here are some examples of fighters with padded records who spectacularly folded when moving up in class in recent years.
Dennis Boytsov 35-1 (26)
All set for a Wladimir Klitschko showdown he gets badly rocked and beaten by decision against Alex Leapai. Leapai told us he was reborn, he would win a title but Wlad knocked him out with ease and even Malik Scott has beten him since. Boytsov has won 2 after this looking poor and now fights Costa Junior who has lost 3 fights in a row (Hammer, Parker, Price). For his 37 th contest he really is taking his time. Far too much time I reckon.
Amir Monsour 21-1 (16)
42 years old but had looked decent stopping Kelvin Price. However when he faced awkward veteran Steve Cunningham he was outboxed over 10 rounds. It amazes me how cruiserweights can come up to the heavyweight division and do some real damage with their speed and movement.
Akhror Muralimov 16-1 (13)
Undefeated with a good knockout ratio but couldn’t handle the step up to journeyman/gatekeeper level as he lost a lopsided decision to Derric Rossy.
Malik Scott 37-2-1 (13)
Is definitely a skilful fighter but his heart is questionable. Chisora knocked him down with an average punch and he tentatively tried to get up misjudging the count. He was then knocked out by Deontay Wilder who’s final punch landed on Scott’s gloves. He was considered a big prospect and beating Leapai keeps his career alive but for how long.
Andrzej Wawrzyk 29-1 (15)
When he fought Alexander Povetkin he was 27-0 with Povetkin 23-0. The difference was the Russian Povetkin had actually faced decent opponents. He was dispatched with ease in just three rounds. Since the defeat he has fought twice against washed up fighters Danny Williams and Frans Botha which won’t make any headlines.
David Rodriguez 36-2 (34)
Perhaps most spectacularly at 36-0 (34) Rodriguez was knocked spark out with a massive left hook against Journeyman Darnell Wilson. He also lost his next fight and retired soon after. Fortunately we didn’t need to see him at any decent level.
This next fight for Lucas Browne will tell if he has what it takes to even compete at this level, never mind win.
Browne
Lucas has the basics in terms of a decent punch and a strong chin required to get to a certain level in the heavyweight game. Despite a questionable physique his stamina is ok having been the distance against the likes of James Toney and Andriy Rudenko. I was quite unimpressed with his performance against the Ukrainian Rudenko especially seeing as the more inexperienced Hughie Fury outpointed him by a wider margin last week. Chagaev is a decent boxer puncher that is well above Browne in my opinion. Chagaev seems to have been around forever despite this he is actually the same age as the late blooming Browne.
Ranking System
Once again a relatively undeserving boxer has earned a title shot due to flaws in the ranking. Browne is rated #4 but is currently the highest placed available contender. At #3 is Alexander Povetkin who is scheduled to fight Mike Perez in an eliminator for the WBC title. At #2 is Bryant Jennings who fights Wladimir Klitschko so is also unavailable.
#1
Unfortunately the number 1 contender is currently vacant due to Luis Ortiz losing his ranking and WBA interim title. Unfortunately after a very exciting 1st round knockout victory in an eliminator bout against unbeaten Nigerian Lateef Kayote Ortiz tested positive for banned substances. He is now banned and his ranking removed. Lucas Browne is the beneficiary of this situation. Being #4 and the WBA intercontinental champion Browne gets the shot. For me although I like Browne as a character this fight will show him up as an average fighter. There have been a long list of average heavyweights recently losing when they finally step up in class and often well below world level. We will soon find out where Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne sits on that list.
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