Tag Archives: Lucas Browne

UNDEFEATED HEAVYWEIGHT PROSPECT APTI DAVTAEV TO FACE LUCAS BROWNE ON MARCH 28 SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION CO-MAIN EVENT

Davtaev Replaces Otto Wallin, Who Was Forced To Withdraw Due To Minor Injury

NEW YORK – February 26 – Undefeated heavyweight power puncher Apti Davtaev will face veteran Lucas Browne in the 10-round co-main event of SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION on Saturday, March 28, live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas. Davtaev replaces heavyweight contender Otto Wallin, who was forced to suspend training and withdraw from his scheduled bout due to an injury to his foot. 

From Kurchaloi, Russia, Davtaev (20-0-1, 19 KOs) has earned a 90-percent knockout ratio with his aggressive style and devastating power. The athletic, 30-year-old has remained active since moving his camp to the United States in 2017 after signing with Salita Promotions. He trains at Kronk Gym in Detroit, Mich., under the tutelage of SugarHill Steward, nephew of legendary Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward. 

“Otto suffered a minor injury and suspending training was the smart thing to do,” said Wallin’s promoter Dmitriy Salita. “He will be back in the ring in no time. Fortunately, Apti was in top shape and ready to go. He is a gifted heavyweight and he’ll be on everyone’s radar after March 28.”

In his last outing on February 21, the six-foot-five-inch Davtaev handed previously unbeaten John Napari his first defeat with a vicious second-round knockout. A few weeks prior, on January 10, he scored an impressive third-round stoppage over veteran Keith Barr. This is his fifth start in the U.S. and first nationally televised bout.

Fighting out of New South Wales, Australia, Browne (29-2, 25 KOs) most recently scored a knockout victory over John Hopoate in November, his second win of 2019. He’s won four of his last five bouts, with his only career losses coming to Dillian Whyte and David Allen in the U.K. Browne won his first 25 pro fights, including a stoppage of Ruslan Chagaev in 2016 to capture a WBA Heavyweight Championship. He will be making his U.S. debut.

The three-fight SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION telecast features unbeaten former bantamweight world champion Luis Nery (30-0, 24 KOs) taking on undefeated contender Aaron Alameda (25-0, 13 KOs) in a WBC Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator main event. Rising light heavyweight prospects Joseph George (10-0, 6 KOs) and Marcos Escudero (10-1, 9 KOs) open the telecast with a 10-round rematch of their November ShoBox showdown that saw George win a narrow-split decision.

Veteran broadcaster Brian Custer will serve as telecast host with versatile combat sportscaster Mauro Ranallo calling the action alongside Hall of Fame analyst Al Bernstein and former two-division world champion Paulie Malignaggi. Rounding out the telecast team are Emmy® award winning reporter Jim Gray, unofficial ringside scorer Steve Farhood and world-renowned ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr.  David Dinkins Jr. serves as Executive Producer with Ray Smaltz producing and Bob Dunphy directing. 

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are now on sale and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Davtaev vs. Browne is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

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Unbeaten Former World Champion Luis Nery Takes On Fellow Unbeaten Aaron Alameda In WBC Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator Bout Live On SHOWTIME® Saturday, March 28 In Premier Boxing Champions Event From Park MGM In Las Vegas

Heavyweight Contender Otto Wallin Meets Lucas Browne In Co-Main Event And Light Heavyweight Prospects Joseph George And Marcos Escudero Battle In Rematch In Telecast Opener

Tickets On Sale Thursday, February 13 At Noon PT!

LAS VEGAS  February 11, 2020 – Unbeaten former bantamweight world champion Luis Nery will face undefeated contender Aaron Alameda in a WBC Super Bantamweight Title Eliminator headlining live action on SHOWTIME Saturday, March 28 in a Premier Boxing Champions event from Park Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

The SHOWTIME BOXING: SPECIAL EDITION® tripleheader begins at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT and features heavyweight contenders squaring off as Otto Wallin and Lucas Browne battle in a 10-round attraction in the co-main event, plus rising light heavyweights go toe-to-toe as Joseph George faces Marcos Escudero in a 10-round rematch of their November showdown on ShoBox: The New Generation that saw George win a narrow split decision.

Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions and Mayweather Promotions, are on sale Thursday, February 13 at noon and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Wallin vs. Browne is promoted in association with Salita Promotions.

“Saturday, March 28 is going to be a night full of exciting action headlined by Mexican knockout artist Luis Nery beginning his path toward a world title at super bantamweight against an undefeated Mexican contender in Aaron Alameda,” said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. “Adding in the heavyweight showdown between Otto Wallin and Lucas Browne, plus a rematch of young light heavyweights Joseph George and Marcos Escudero, fight night at Park MGM in Las Vegas is sure to deliver explosive battles from start to finish.”

Nery (30-0, 24 KOs) is a power puncher who has stopped his last 11 opponents and 15 of his last 16. The 25-year-old southpaw from Tijuana, Mexico scored a dominant stoppage victory over former champion McJoe Arroyo in March and returned in July to stop former champion Juan Carlos Payano. He scored a TKO victory over Shinsuke Yamanaka to win the bantamweight world title in 2018 and will now move up to 122 pounds to seek a world title in a second weight class.

“I’m excited to fight on SHOWTIME and I’m planning on another knockout victory to prove to everyone that I’m one of the kings of the super bantamweight division,” said Nery. “I know that I can knock out any fighter at 118 or 122 pounds, and I’m hungrier than ever to prove that I’m one of boxing’s great Mexican champions. My goal is to continue to put on great performances for the fans and I’m ready to fight anyone who is willing to step up to the challenge.”

Representing Sonora, Mexico, Alameda (25-0, 13 KOs) is unbeaten since turning pro in 2014 after a strong amateur career, and will step up in competition as he faces Nery for a shot at a world title bout. The 26-year-old is ranked No. 12 by the WBC and most recently knocked out Jordan Escobar in April 2019, after three victories in 2018. Alameda will fight in the U.S. for the second time when he enters the ring on March 28, after scoring a body shot knockout over Andre Wilson in a January 2016 bout in Los Angeles.

“I’m very excited to be making my SHOWTIME debut in the main event against a great fighter,” said Alameda. “All of the years of training and fighting have brought me to this fight on March 28. Nery is a Mexican warrior like myself and I can’t wait to lock horns with him and give the fans great action all the way until the final bell.”

The 29-year-old Wallin (20-1, 13 KOs) will return to the ring in Las Vegas, where he nearly defeated former unified heavyweight champion Tyson Fury in September, when he opened up a gruesome cut over Fury’s right eye with a legal punch that nearly halted the fight. While Wallin dropped the decision, he proved his mettle as a potential future heavyweight champion. Representing his native Sundsvall, Sweden, Wallin trains in New York with former champion Joey Gamache. Wallin’s last fight in Las Vegas was his second in the U.S., after his debut on SHOWTIME in April ended in a no contest because of a cut suffered by his opponent in the first round.

Fighting out of New South Wales, Australia, Browne (29-2, 25 KOs) most recently scored a knockout victory over John Hopoate in November, his second win of 2019. He’s won four of his last five bouts, with his only career losses coming to Dillian Whyte and David Allen in the U.K. Browne won his first 25 pro fights, including a stoppage of Ruslan Chagaev in 2016 to capture a WBA Heavyweight Championship. He will be making his U.S. debut.

George (10-0, 6 KOs) emerged victorious in a battle of then unbeaten fighters when he faced Escudero on SHOWTIME in November, taking a split-decision victory. The 30-year-old didn’t start boxing until he was 19 and is managed by Washington Redskins All-Pro offensive lineman Trent Williams, and trained in Houston by NFL All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson and James Cooper. George will look to transition from prospect to contender by defeating Escudero again on March 28.

Escudero (10-1, 9 KOs) will look to bounce back and even the score against George, and in turn bolster his own position in the light heavyweight division. The 26-year-old from Buenos Aires, Argentina has fought primarily in the U.S. since turning pro in 2017. His amateur career saw him become a national champion in Argentina in 2014 and represent his country in the Pan-Am Games in 2015. Escudero currently trains in Miami and scored three stoppage wins in 2019 before facing George for the first time.

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Australian Top Heavyweight and Uncrowned Champion Lucas Browne Volunteers for WBC Clean Boxing Program

Former WBA World Heavyweight Champion Lucas Big Daddy” Browne of Australia is upping the ante in his quest to clear his name and regain his championship by voluntarily enrolling in the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program.
The hard-punching Browne (24-0, 21 KOs) stopped Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Chagaev in round 10 last March in Grozny, Russia, to become Australia’s first-ever heavyweight champion. The dramatic victory, however, was nullified and Browne’s championship was stripped away and returned to Chagaev, post-fight, after he reportedly tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol.
Browne, who tested completely clean in a random drug test by VADA six days before the fight against Chagaev, staunchly maintains his innocence of purposefully taking any banned substance ever, and says he is taking steps to ensure he is never again accused of cheating.
“I’m proud to announce that I am now part of the Clean Boxing Program, which is being run by the WBC and VADA,” said Browne. “By voluntarily enrolling in this program I am able to be randomly tested at any time, 365 days of the year.”
Browne, who was the one who insisted that VADA perform drug testing before the Chagaev fight, says the decision to join the program was an easy one to make. “I have absolutely no issues with this, as I am a clean athlete and I believe boxing needs this kind of regulation. I welcome this aspect of safety for the sport of boxing. I despise all drugs, whether they be performance-enhancing or recreational.”
Browne’s manager, Matt Clark, says that by becoming Australia’s first fighter to volunteer for the program, his fighter will hopefully start a trend.
“Lucas is Australia’s premier boxer and resents drugs of any kind,” said Clark. “We hope that other fighters from around the world join Lucas and sign up for the program. Anything that makes boxing safer is a good thing.”
Browne and Clark say they are still fighting “tooth and nail” to clear his name and thank the public for the tremendous support they have received, worldwide.
“Having always been a clean athlete, I am totally opposed to any form of doping,” Browne concluded. “I’ve always felt that cheaters in professional boxing should be banned for life.  With 21 KOs in my 21 victories, I’m of the same opinion as (current WBC World Heavyweight Champion) Deontay Wilder: If I was ever to use PED drugs, I might end up killing someone!”

AWE–A Wealth of Entertainment continues to bring knockout fights to Boxing fans

   
Lucas Browne’s stunning title winning effort was shown live on AWE–A Wealth of Entertainment
 

San Diego, CA – March 14, 2016 – On March 5th in Grozny, Russia Lucas Browne captured the WBA Heavyweight championship with a stunning tenth round stoppage over reigning champion Ruslan Chagaev.
It was a stunning finish to a great fight that saw the WBA Heavyweight change hands.
The bout was seen live and exclusively in the United States on AWE-A Wealth of Entertainment.
The fight was just the latest in great & significant fights that have been broadcasted live on AWE.
AWE has successfully brought boxing fans some of the best and brightest championship bouts from around the globe and with more terrific bouts on the horizon, the network is in the process of securing a plethora of world title and meaningful bouts for 2016.
“Browne and Chagaev was a great Heavyweight championship brawl,” said AWE President Charles Herring.  “The division has not had a championship fight like that in a long time and we are very happy that the viewers of AWE were able to watch it.  Browne now becomes a serious player in the Heavyweight division.  These are the important fights that we at AWE are looking to bring to the great boxing fans in the United States and we will have some announcements real soon about some more championship bouts that we will be televising.”

Ricky Hatton: “Browne winning the Heavyweight title would be huge for my company”

Undefeated Lucas Browne to Collide with Ruslan Chagaev for the WBA World Heavyweight Title LIVE This Saturday on AWE at 2 PM ET
 

San Diego, CA – March 3, 2016 – This Saturday afternoon, March 5th, undefeated and number-two ranked WBA heavyweight contender Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne(23-0-0) will battle defending WBA World Heavyweight champ Ruslan Chagaev (34-2-1) for his belt. The bout will be broadcast LIVE in the United States on AWE – A Wealth of Entertainment.
The action begins live at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT.
Browne is promoted by former two-division world champion and British Idol, Ricky Hatton and the Manchester great has a lot on the line this Saturday if Browne can come through with the victory.
“It would be massive for my company, very significant,”said Hatton.  “Lucas would be my first world champion as a promoter, and it’s fantastic that it would be a Heavyweight title.  I was a two-time world champion as a fighter.  I have trained a world champion, so I don’t know many people who have done all three as a trainer, fighter and a promoter. “
To have Browne in this position, the fighter turned promoter, is thrilled for his fighter, being that Browne was not sought after in his early career.
“I am very happy for Lucas.  He came up the hard way.  He was not an Olympian.  In fact, it was just a few years ago, that he was working doors at the night clubs and he has put in the hard work and this is a big night for me and my company.”
Despite the fight being in enemy territory, “The Hitman”, feels his fighter is in good hands as Browne is being trained by former super middleweight world champion and British great, Nigel Benn.
“He has a great team behind him.  An excellent trainer.  It is going to be a tough job, but I firmly believe that he will win the fight.  It will be difficult as Chagaev was a big amateur and now a world champion.  Lucas who has always been known as a puncher is moving a lot better on his feet.  Very fluid.  Lucas has also added speed and has had great preparation.”
Being in enemy territory, Hatton knows that the fight may come down to the judges, and he believes that Browne will get a fair shake.
“I would like to think that Lucas will not need a knockout to win, but judges can be swayed by the hometown fans, but this being a world title fight, I expect world class judges.  That being said, Lucas should not leave it to chance.”
With a Browne win, there is a chance a good portion heavyweight division would run through the United Kingdom as Unified  champion Tyson Fury and potentially Anthony Joshua (who fights IBF champion Charles Martin on April 9) would hold most of the hardware in boxing’s glamour division.
“I thought about that.  I get along well with Eddie Hearn, who has Joshua.  I get a long great with my former promoter Frank Warren and you can also throw David Haye in there who is back.  I can’t see any problems making fights with Joshua or Fury and we would have some massive heavyweights fights here.  Lucas has fought five times here and has a good fan base.”
“The only thing that I am gutted about on Saturday is that I can’t be there with Lucas when he wins as I train a lot of young fighters and I have four of them fighting on Saturday and they need me in London with them, but Saturday will be a great day for my company.”
There will be a three fight undercard beginning at 2 PM.
In a 10-round Heavyweight bout, Edmund Gerber (25-2, 16 KO’s) of Schwerin, Germany will fight Brian Minto (41-10, 26 KO’s) of Butler, PA.
In a 10-round bout for the IBO International Welterweight title, Vishkahn Murzabekov (12-0, 6 KO’s) of Russia takes on former world title challenger Ali Funeka (37-5-3, 30 KO’s) of South Africa.
Tyrone Spong (2-0, 2 KO’s) of Miami, Florida battles David Gogishvilli (12-0, 8 Ko’s) of Gori, Georgia in a 6-round Cruiserweight bout.
Boxing fans can enjoy this amazing card on AWE available on AT&T U-Verse, ch 147 and 1147 in HD, Verizon FiOS TV, ch 169 and 669 in HD, CenturyLink PRISM TV ch. 144 and 1144 in HD, and numerous regional cable providers across the nation. Please check www.awetv.com for boxing updates.