WHYTE HEAT FOR LUCAS BROWNE

TWO years after Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne bounced world champ Ruslan Chagaev off the canvas in Chechnya, he’s ready to detonate against England’s Dillian Whyte this weekend in London’s 02 Arena.

The 30-year-old has a career record of 25-0, and with 23 of those wins coming by knockout,

Browne says he is the hardest puncher in the world, a bigger hitter even that the current king of boxing, Anthony Joshua.

“My ex-trainer Jeff Fenech also held pads for Mike Tyson,’’ Browne told the British press. “Granted, I am no Mike Tyson. But he says I hit harder than Mike Tyson. That’s more than Joshua, for sure.”

Browne said of America’s WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder: “I don’t think he’s a very good technical boxer but he can hit. When he gets excited, he throws windmills. His record says that when he touches you, you go out.”

Whyte is 22-1 (16 KOs), his only loss against Joshua, who was hurt early in the fight.

JEFF HORN’S COACH READY FOR PHYSICAL ATTACK FROM CRAWFORD’S MENTOR

TENSIONS between Jeff Horn and bitter rival Terence Crawford have exploded with the world champ’s trainer Glenn Rushton saying he is “more than ready’’ to defend himself against a physical attack from the American’s trash-talking coach.

Crawford trainer Brian McIntyre says he is so angry with the Brisbane team that he will “knock out’’ Horn’s multi-millionaire manager Glenn Rushton after Crawford gets through with Horn.

In a foul-mouthed tirade against Horn and Rushton, McIntyre yesterday declared they would both be getting beaten up, though his language was much ruder.

But Rushton, one of Queensland’s leading boxing and martial arts figures, said he had tackled much tougher men than Crawford’s coach and was ready for action.

“How dare McIntyre challenge me,’’ said Rushton, a fourth-dan karate black belt who has the most successful team of boxers in Australia.

“Grow up Brian. You’re 47 years of age. You talk about being professional. I may be 60 but I fear no one, having been involved in the fight game for well over four decades, and having worked as a hotel bouncer for years in my younger days.’’

The wiry 75kg Rushton, who has been involved in combat sports for almost half a century, said as a bouncer he had often faced more than one opponent at a time and much bigger and tougher foes than McIntyre who once lost to the world’s fattest fighter Butterbean during a career that saw him win just seven of 21 professional fights

“I was boxing before Brian was even born,’’ he said.

“I know every trainer is only doing the best for their fighter, so I don’t go around challenging them.

“As an example, Freddie Roach (Manny Pacquiao’s trainer) was getting quite upset in our dressing room over a taping issue in the fight at Suncorp Stadium, but I treated Freddie with respect and dignity, and have nothing but admiration for his achievements in the sport.’’

Horn’s world title fight was set for the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas on April 14 but Crawford has gained an indefinite postponement due to a hand injury he suffered in sparring.

Rushton made the Americans explode with anger when he said Horn had fought with much worse injuries than a “bruised hand’’ and that Crawford was “soft’’ and needed to “harden up Princess.’’

The Horn camp suspects the Americans were stalling for more time throughout the fight negotiations and say they suspected Crawford was always foxing over the fight date as there had never been any urgency over signing of the contract for the fight.

Rushton said he had not received any confirmation from Crawford’s medical practitioner confirming the extent of the injury, which promoters Top Rank originally said was “a slight hand injury that is just enough to keep him out of April 14”.

He added that he would expect the Crawford team to be furious if Horn had pulled out of the fight citing a bruised hand as the reason.

“We’ve also heard rumours that the injury to Crawford’s hand was sustained a few weeks ago on a training camp in Colorado,’’ he said.

“If that’s the case, why was it not raised before the contract was signed?”

In a statement to The Courier-Mail headlined: “McIntyre or McEnroe’’, Rushton said part of being professional was also to understand obligations to the opponent and the promoters.

“I’ve seen videos of McIntyre saying the challenger should respect the champion (when Crawford was the champion), but it doesn’t appear there is any respect being given to Jeff, who is the champion for this fight and is doing Crawford a huge favour by coming to the US to defend his title against arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet — as if he needs any more advantage,” Rushton said.

“These are multimillion-dollar events which take a massive amount of time to organise. The planning of this event has dragged on for months, with continual changes, due to events beyond the control of the promoter.

“When (Horn’s promoter) Dean Lonergan and I spoke to Bob Arum prior to Christmas, he expected to have a contract to us by early January, but, for various reasons, this dragged on to mid-March, and then, less than 48 hours after finally receiving a countersigned contract, the fight is postponed for something as trivial as a bruised hand.

“So yes, we are annoyed, as would be the Crawford camp if the roles were reversed. Many of our friends and families had already booked flights and accommodation to attend the event, and they are also rightly annoyed.

“Promoters are generally not fond of boxers who pull out of events for minor injuries, as almost every campaign there are continual injuries and illnesses to contend with. I can say that if we keep waiting for both Jeff and Terence to be perfectly fit, we’ll never get this fight done.

“As an example, Jeff fought Randall Bailey, one of the most dangerous punchers in the division, just over two months after undergoing throat surgery — even though the surgeon told him it would take six months to heal properly — a hit there in the fight could have ended his life.

“I could write a book on the injuries and illnesses we’ve overcome so as not to let promoters down, as we understand the cost to postpone or cancel bouts, particularly those that take this long to organise. Whenever an injury occurs, I have to make a decision — is it a deal breaker or not?

“Often it’s a tough call, as it was when Jeff sustained a cut to the head that required eight stitches three weeks out from the Corcoran fight. We missed two full weeks of sparring but I made the call to proceed, as we knew the promoter’s loss would be considerable if we pulled out.’’

PARO ON POINT IN NATIONAL TITLE VICTORY

UNBEATEN southpaw Liam Paro captured the vacant Australian light-welterweight title when he stopped English-born Melbourne fighter Andrew Wallace after three rounds at Brisbane’s Mansfield Tavern on Saturday.

Paro, who has been busy sparring Jeff Horn, is now 13-0 (9 KO's). Wallace retired in the corner after suffering a cut eye.

On the same card, promoted by Angelo Di Carlo, world cruiserweight challenger Mark Flanagan stopped Uruguay’s Mauricio Barragan in round six of a scheduled ten round bout. Barragan lost for the third time in 19 starts but came to fight and gave Flanagan a tough night until the Townsville slugger’s power took over.

Flanagan went 12 rounds with Russian world cruiserweight champ Denis Lebedev last year.

Also on Saturday night, former Australian cruiserweight champion Aaron Russell outpointed New Zealand’s Tino Honey over six.

Light middleweight Billy Limov outscored Gabriel Kari, Australian super bantamweight Champion April Adams outscored Phannaluk Kongsang and Gold Coast light-welterweight Jacob Ng outpointed debutant Wanchaleom Chanajan.

Middleweight Michael Robinson outpointed Nick Wright and heavyweight Robert Ferguson outscored Joel Clifton.

Light heavyweight Joseph Liga and Brad Trainor boxed a four-round draw and Rockhampton light-welterweight Wayde Goltz stopped Michael Thornton in round one.

Paro’s preparation for this fight went extremely well, according to cut man Stephen Edwards, who is also in the corner for Jeff Horn.

“Liam’s Trainer Alfie Di Carlo developed a great game plan for this fight and focused drills, pad work and sparring all around that game plan,” Edwards said.

“Liam’s sparring in preparation for this fight was top shelf. He sparred World Champion Jeff Horn, Queensland light-middleweight champion Adrian Rodriguez and the world rated stable of fighters at Billy Hussein’s gym in Sydney.

“Sparring with Jeff Horn enabled Alfie Di Carlo to gauge his game plan under the blow torch of a world champion. It came through with flying colours

DENNIS HOGAN READY TO HIT BACK AGAINST JIMMY KILRAIN KELLY

BRISBANE’S world No. 3 junior-middleweight Dennis Hogan has a huge opportunity to emulate sparring partner Jeff Horn with a world title if he can overcome world No. 4 Jimmy Kilrain Kelly at the Convention Centre on April 7.

Hogan told Irish journalist Maurice Brosnan that he was inspired by his grandfather Paddy Burke who died in 2011.

He said he looked at himself in the mirror after he first arrived in Brisbane seven years ago.

“I knew about affirmations, I knew about visualisation,’’ he said.

“But I didn’t really back myself. When I started to back myself as an amateur, I started to see the results that it would bring. I got (to Brisbane) anyway, and I was looking in the mirror. I was 84kg. I was overweight. Nearly too overweight to fight light-heavyweight, because I’d done a bit of partying before I went pro and I was drinking a bit while I was here.

“I looked in the mirror in the bathroom and I said to myself ‘I am a World Champion’ and I’m just going to work towards it and do whatever it takes. That vision is in my mind every day, I see myself winning it again and again. I know how it feels, I know where it’s going to be. I hear the bell ringing, I’ve got it all in my mind and it makes me feel inspired, motivated.’’

Hogan has lost just once in 28 fights — against world champ Jack Culcay in Germany in 2015.

He produced a career-best display in October, soundly outpointing Japanese veteran Yuki Nonaka who had not lost in eight years.

Kelly has won seven straight since suffering his sole career defeat to Liam Smith in an all-Lancashire clash for the WBO world title in December 2015. He has 23 wins in 24 fights.

At 25 he is eight years younger than Hogan and also has an Irish background.

His middle name is Kilrain, inspired by 19th-century bare-knuckle boxer Jake Kilrain.

WES CAPPER HOLDS SAM SOLIMAN TO A DRAW

PERTH middleweight Wes Capper fought the fight of his life to hold former world champ Sam Soliman to a 12-round draw at the Melbourne Pavilion on Saturday night.

The 44-year-old Soliman took the fight 114-113 on one card while the two other judges scored it 114-114.

The former IBF champ scored a flash knockdown in the second round, when Capper’s glove touched the canvas.

A clash of heads in the fourth round opened a cut around Capper’s left eye of Capper, but his corner was able to handle the situation and prevented the injury from getting worse

Capper used a solid jab as the fight played out and applied good pressure down the stretch to come alive in the second half. Soliman held his own at all times and was more than willing to stand his ground when Capper tried to trade.

Capper has lost twice in 22 fights with much of his boxing done in Mexico and the United States.

Soliman, the home crowd hero, was trying to revive his career after getting stopped by Sergiy Derevyanchenko in July 2016.

WBC No. 13 super middleweight Jayde Mitchell scored a three round knockout over Ariel Alejandro Zampedri of Argentina.

Women’s bantamweight star Cherneka Johnson stopped Rungnapha Kaewkrachang in round four.

DARRAGH FOLEY BOOSTS WORLD RATING

IN the second of Johnny Lewis’ Fight Promotion Series, Sydney’s world No. 8 Darragh Foley scored a 12-round unanimous decision over Canada’s World No. 10 Steven Wilcox on Saturday at Sydney’s Star Casino.

Scores were 117-111, 118-110 and 116-112.

On the undercard Gaige Ireland scored an upset to take the Australian lightweight title against previously unbeaten Haithem Laamouz.

“I’ve been boxing for ten years and to win the title in front of my family and friends also my trainer Brian Butler it feels fantastic,’’ Ireland said.

“He was a good mover with great combinations but I was stronger and I’m good at breaking people down.

“Four weeks ago our gym was burnt down and there will be a fundraiser on April 8.”

CHILEMBA STALLS BLAKE CAPARELLO’S WORLD TITLE CHASE

WITH all-time great Roy Jones in his corner, world No. 9 light-heavyweight Isaac Chilemba of Malawi outpointed Melbourne’s world No. 6 Blake Caparello over twelve rounds at the Melbourne Pavilion last Friday night.

Chilemba won the WBC International title. Scores were 115-113, 115-113, 117-111.

Middleweight Michael Zerafa captured the vacant Commonwealth title outpointing previously unbeaten Englishman Adam Harper over twelve rounds.

Harper trained for the fight at Steve Deller’s Fortitude Gym in Brisbane.

Middleweight Tej Pratap Singh stopped Jake Carr at the conclusion of round six with a burst eardrum.

Singh holds a win over Wes Capper while Carr holds a victory over former IBO super middleweight champion Renold Quinlan.

SOMERVILLE ENJOYS HIGH LIFE IN COLORADO

COMMONWEALTH Games gold medal hope Campbell Somerville said training alongside Terence Crawford in Colorado Springs was a tremendous experience and the 1800m altitude a huge boost to the fitness of the Australian team.

While lighter members of the national squad trained in the Philippines, the heavier Australian fighters — Somerville (75kg), Clay Waterman (81kg), Jason Whateley (91kg), Touse Vousiutu (super-heavyweight), Kaye Scott (women’s 69kg) and Caitlin Parker (women’s 75kg) all trained at the US Air Force Base.

Waterman sparred two-time world champ Terence Crawford while Somerville sparred American pro Steven Nelson.

“It was really tough breathing for a while but the three weeks there was very beneficial,’’ Sommerville said.

“The fitness really improved and all my run times were quicker after going there.’’

MACDONALD DOES IT TOUGH IN PHILIPPINES

BRISBANE super-featherweight James MacDonald has been hard at work in the Philippines training at the “Survival Camp’’ of IBF super-flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas, who was such a hit when he defended his world title on the Horn-Pacquiao undercard in Brisbane.

“I saw footage of the camp online,’’ MacDonald said, “and I knew I had to go because it looked a great challenge and that’s what I need to progress in my career.

“I want to be crisper and lighter on my feet so I can survive in this sport a bit longer.’’

TITANS PROSPECT MAKES PRO DEBUT

FORMER under 20s Titans rugby league Luke Baker will make his debut on Thursday night at Mantra on View at Surfers Paradise.

Luke left league because of injury to take up boxing 18 months ago and is undefeated as an amateur after 11 fights. He takes on Lyndon Doraho who has only lost three fights from 25 in Muay Thai.

KITE FLYING HIGH WITH FORTITUDE

“BANGING’’ Ben Kite takes on Korea’s hard-hitting Dong Young Kang at the Fortitude Gym in Newstead, Brisbane, on Saturday night.

He is making the first defence of his Asian Pacific welterweight title.

On the same card super-tough Mark Gadaleta, one of Jeff Horn’s sparring partners, faces Matthew Hartmann.