The fighting career of the 46-year-old heavyweight Lucas Browne will continue for the foreseeable future.
Australia’s Browne, who has held a WBA belt and in more recent years ventured into bare-knuckle boxing, is 31-7 (27 KOs), having fought the likes of Dillian Whyte, Ruslan Chagaev, James Toney, Jarrell Miller, Dave Allen, and Travis Walker.
However, in October he lost in Germany, when stopped in the sixth and final round by the 7-0 (2 KOs) Arman Khudoyan in Leverkusen.
“Unfortunately, it was a loss,” Browne said. “But it was a good performance. I put in a good effort. I put in a good amount of punches; all that sort of stuff. I’m sure the stats will show that I punched a lot, but I got punched way too much. I mark up extremely easy. So I had a nice red face; a few headbutts; got me some cuts. The ref didn’t pull that up, but that’s fair. “The unfortunate part about that is obviously I’ve gone to their country; their promotion with their fighter. So like, I know the deal. From the very first round, I had a tiny cut and the ref said, ‘Oh, I’m going to stop it’. I’m like, ‘No, you’re not’. Every single round, he said, ‘I’m going to stop it. I’m going to stop it’. So I knew it was coming. I got caught with that flurry, and yes, I was getting caught, but it should have been something like an eight count if you want, not just call it off. And I thought, ‘Yeah, that’s going to happen’.
“As I said, their promotion; their country; their fighter. He did really well. I’m not going to knock anything he did. He did everything right. And he’s a great young little fighter.”
Browne was officially stopped with 23 seconds of the session to go, and next will venture bare to bare-knuckle with BKB.
“I just sort of turn the page on boxing now,” he said. “And I think the bare-knuckle is definitely my thing. And then I’ll be retiring.”
Browne added Germany to England, Dubai, Russia, Australia, and China on the list of where he has competed. And he hoped what he’s calling “the Big Daddy World Tour” will see him earn more air miles.
“I’m basically just going around the world to different places I’ve never been,” he said. “So I’d never been to Ireland. I went there for some training. I’d never been to Germany. I just went. I was going to go to Wales, but now I’m going to Miami. I’m just traveling around, obviously on other people’s dime. It’s not my money, [it’s] promoters, etcetera. And just having some fun, meeting some people, punching people in the face and enjoying myself as I retire.”
Browne understands about the risks of fighting on. He knows about CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), and that is one of the reasons he is preparing to walk away.
“I’m not stupid about it,” Browne said. “I’ve been doing it for 16 years. I’d say my actual speech has dropped about five per cent and I know this – I can tell. So yes, I’m not in it for too much longer. I’m not stupid enough to continuously get beat around the head. I can still have a conversation, but yeah, I’m not stupid in thinking that this is a forever thing because it’s just what happens.”
Life after fighting awaits, and Browne is less certain about what that looks like. He’s previously owned a gym. He can envisage something where he spends a couple of weeks in Australia and travels for a couple of weeks.
“I feel like that was always on my mind,” he said. “But… just have a normal job – like a normal person. I’ve had my gym, and as great as it was, it wasn’t like the money-maker I wanted.
"So I’m still in limbo a little bit, but I have a few opportunities to sort of open up, and if they open up, I’ll be fine.”
