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Now that Alex Leapai has lost out in his bid for the world heavyweight title, a big challenge awaits at home – Lucas ‘Big Daddy’ Browne.
While Leapai was being outclassed in Germany on the weekend, Browne was becoming the first Australian to win the Commonwealth heavyweight crown in more than a century. It’s not the IBF, WBO, WBA or WBC strap, but it’s a decent title all the same.
Browne is on the up, and once again showed the devastating power he can unleash. After starting slowly and bleeding profusely from a cut above his left eye due to an accidental third-round headbutt, the big heavyweight finished off Canada’s Eric Bahoeli with a quick flurry in the fifth round before the referee had the chance to stop the fight.
It was fast, it was brutal and it was fun to watch.
Browne is no slick mover or technically gifted boxer, and he knows it. But he can punch, and has the kind of steel in his fists that could fell an elephant.
When he hits them, they stay hit.
I spoke to Browne straight after his fight with Bahoeli, before he headed off to hospital to get his cut stitched up.
The new Commonwealth champ wants a fight with Leapai, Logan’s ‘Lionheart’.
Leapai was always a 1000-1 shot against Wladimir Klitschko. He battled bravely but the jump in class was always going to be too much for him. But in Browne here is a more even match-up; an opponent more similar in style and background.
The two are similar in age, are both noted knockout artists and are familiar to the Aussie boxing public. It won’t take much to sell a fight between the two to determine once and for all who is our best heavyweight contender.
Leapai is reportedly interested in fighting Shannon Briggs or Manuel Charr in his next bout. Browne has been linked with top Pommy bruisers Tyson Fury and Dereck Chisora, and Kiwi brawler Joe Parker.
But the nuggety Queenslander and the huge Sydneysider should take each other on. It would be one hell of scrap.
The two would not take a backward step, and the winner could take the next step on the world stage.
Follow John Davidson on Twitter: @johnnyddavidson
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