Rival wary of Browne's 'horse' power
If 15 stoppages in 17 wins isn’t testament to Lucas Browne’s punching power, then the guy saddled with the task of ending his run this weekend provides the ultimate endorsement.
“If Lucas Browne hit a horse on the chin he’d kill it,” Richard Towers said of the Perth heavyweight.
Towers quickly added that, unlike a horse, he’ll be firing back when the pair finally hold their Commonwealth title eliminator at the Hull Arena early tomorrow WA time.
But if Browne can make the unbeaten 203cm Englishman his 18th victim, then the belief is things will take off for “Big Daddy”.
That could start with boxing superstar Ricky Hatton, who promotes both the 34-year-olds, heading Down Under.
“Ricky is saying we’ve got a world-class heavyweight here and he’s not getting the best training,” Browne’s manager Matt Clark said.
“If he can beat Towers and it suits for Lucas’ next fight to be in Australia, then Ricky’s said he’ll train Lucas in Australia.”
Browne all but prepared by himself for this fight before heading to the UK last month to finish off his work in Hatton’s multi-million dollar training complex on the outskirts of Manchester.
“His profile is growing out of all control over here,” Clark said.
“We were ringside for the big Kell Brook fight in Sheffield last Saturday and people were leaning over the barrier shouting ‘Lucas, Lucas, come and get a photo’. Even in the elevator, some guy looked at him and said: ‘Are you Lucas Browne? I’m a big fight fan, I follow you on Twitter’.
“His profile in the UK is really growing, to the point people are saying he’ll have more support than Towers.”
Browne, who is 191cm, now has to come to terms with the attention.
“I am getting stopped everywhere I go, which is great,” he said a little unconvincingly. “I was in the swimming pool doing laps and someone was waving at the end of the pool, so they could have a chat.
“It’s getting to the point where it’s not annoying, but it’s getting full-on.
“The better I get, the worse it’s going to get. But the worst thing for me would be no one knows who the hell I am, ever.
“I started this whole journey wanting my name to be remembered, so this is the start.
"It's definitely different here. It’s not like it’s a money thing, it’s not like everyone has more money, they’re just more into it.
"It almost turns into Liverpool against Manchester soccer, and it flows on into the boxing. And they do their football cries when they’re at the boxing and it’s a really good atmosphere.
"And with Ricky being a Man City fan, everything I wear has to be blue or I get in trouble!"
Towers (14-0), who hails from Sheffield, has not fought for 16 months, although in that time he has sparred Wladimir Klitschko, David Haye and Britain’s Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal winner Anthony Joshua.
He was meant to meet Browne last December in Hong Kong, but pulled out because of a perforated ear drum.
The fight was rescheduled for Melbourne in July, but Towers was refused entry to Australia because of his criminal past.
The winner should take on Commonwealth champion David Price next year, although there is talk the Liverpudlian could vacate as he rebuilds his career after successive stoppage losses.
- Browne weighed in at just over 114kg yesterday, the lightest of his career, while Towers was 106kg.
