Australia's Lucas Browne likes his next opponent, Dave Allen

Press Release

15/04/2019

Australia's Lucas Browne likes his next opponent, Dave Allen

Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne (28-1) is expecting a bloody and bruising affair when he collides with English fan favorite Dave Allen (16-4-2) at The O2 in London on April 20th, shown live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. The rivals came face-to-face at a recent public workout and both men were in good spirits as they embraced and joked, but Browne insists it will be strictly business come fight night. “This is the first time I’ve met Dave and I really like him,” said Browne. “I’ve never had a bad word to say about him and I still don’t. He’s a cool guy and you can see how popular he is from today’s turnout at the workout, there was hundreds of the people there. It is what it is. We’re both professional fighters and I’m just going to do my job on the night."
 
Browne continued, “I don’t think he’s ever going to be a world champion but he’s definitely a great fighter. If you put him up against anyone else in Australia, I think he beats them. He’s got a chin like a brick so it’s going to be a long night for me. I’m not going to bowl him over in one round but I’m prepared for all scenarios. We’re going to knock lumps off each other.
 
“I think there’s going to be blood, some cuts and some big punches. The fans are going to be the real winners. I genuinely believe this has got the potential to be Fight of the Year if everything gels. He looks like he’s started to take things very seriously and you can tell that by the shape he’s in. I think you’ll see the best versions of us next week.”
 
Browne returns to the scene of his sole career loss to Dillian Whyte determined to redeem himself. Since that loss, Browne has made changes to his training team and bounced back with three wins. He believes another victory on April 20th will fire his name back into the world mix.
 
“My mental state wasn’t right heading into the Dillian Whyte fight. Everything that I was doing at home with training and going away from the family and all that sort of stuff wasn’t right, so that did affect everything else as well. My head wasn’t right and I think that had a big impact on everything leading up to the fight.
 
“My boxing trainer Rodney Williams who came over with me last time, he’s an absolute legend of a bloke as well as a boxing trainer, but I wasn’t doing any of the strength and conditioning and all that other stuff. I think I was definitely lacking in that regard.
 
“Now I’m hooked up with Jay Gray my Head Coach. I’m in Perth with my kids and family and that’s a full time thing there. Jay does everything in the one gym so not only my boxing, sparring and pad work, but all of the strength and conditioning, fitness and everything all in one spot.
 
“I think it’s something that I needed to do instead of spending so much time away from my family. I’m in a really good place now and I feel happy. I think that’s going to make a big difference to my career moving forward. This is the start of my journey to another Heavyweight World title.”
 
Allen vs. Browne is part of a show that includes heavyweight contender Derek Chisora (29-9, 21 KOs) clashingwith Senad Gashi (17-2, 17 KOs) in his first fight under new trainer Dave Coldwell, and Sunderland’s ‘Pretty Boy’ Josh Kelly (8-0, 6 KOs) vs. his toughest opponent of his career to date, Poland's Przemyslaw Runowski (17-0).