Lucas Browne to fight on: “This is a learning curve” Lucas Browne to fight on: “This is a learning curve”

Aus-Boxing.com

LOSING has been a steep learning curve for Lucas Browne but he has no plans of hanging up his gloves just yet.

The former WBA heavyweight titleholder had high hopes of his highly anticipated clash with England’s Dillian Whyte revitalising his career but instead it dished out some hard truths via a devastating sixth round knockout. Despite the defeat Browne plans to fight on and feels he’s learned a lot from the loss.

“A loss is a loss. But for me, this is a learning curve,” Browne told Aus-Boxing.

“I’ve had no amateur experience so I’m still learning on the job. Apologies for not turning up at the fight but I am the one who bears the brunt of that, both the physical and mental side but there’s definitely more to come.”

Losing is never easy. The physical damage accrued is hard enough but with it comes the realisation that a tough road back up the rankings is to follow. Browne is well aware of such challenges and plans to be more active in working his way back into contention again.

“The plan is to have one or two smaller fights, probably just here in Australia to get things clicking over again but I definitely want to be more active,” Browne said.

“That’s one thing I did miss out on. I had three fights in three years; that was shocking. As long as I’m more active – I don’t care who it is – and then I want to have maybe one or two of the regional title fights.”

Much was made of Browne’s weight in the lead up to the bout and despite his claims that he deliberately came in heavy, he’s concedes that in hindsight perhaps it wasn’t ideal.

“I was deliberately heavy and I knew that I was going to come in heavy and I was happy with that,” states Browne.

“I was 130 kilos at one point but cut it down to 119 kilos for the fight but looking back at it now 115 kilograms is basically the mark where I should be. I concede that I was too heavy, a bit flabby around the gut so I think 115 kilos is definitely the mark but I deliberately came in heavy and was happy with my fitness.”

With one year left on his contract with Hatton Promotions, Browne is still owed four more fights from the former super lightweight champion and although Browne is a little unsure where things stand after the loss he hopes to utilise them all.

“I’m still with Hatton for another year now and with our contract he owes me five fights per year and with that being number one, he still owes me four fights this year. I don’t know what’s happening, I’m assuming we’re still together.

Browne is still relatively fresh in the fight game, especially by heavyweight standards and despite the calls from some pundits for him to retire, he’s made it clear that he won’t.

The future is unwritten for Lucas Browne and if he has indeed learned from the loss then he will be all the better for it.

Words: Dan Attias/Follow Dan on Twitter
Photo: Getty Images