Fansided

Heavyweight boxing preview: Dillian Whyte favorite to beat Lucas Browne

By Jeremy Herriges

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 18: Dillian Whyte (L) and Lucas Browne face-to-face during a press conference for their heavyweight fight at Trinity House on January 18, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 18: Dillian Whyte (L) and Lucas Browne face-to-face during a press conference for their heavyweight fight at Trinity House on January 18, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Dillian Whyte is a heavyweight title contender, but he has to get through undefeated Lucas Browne if he wants to keep his title hopes alive.

On Saturday, March 24, Dillian Whyte (22-1, 16 KOs) attempts to hand Lucas Browne (25-0, 22 KOs) his first loss as a professional boxer. The winner of this bout will be viewed as a major heavyweight title contender.

Browne won the WBA title in 2016 against Ruslan Chagaev, but he tested positive numerous times for banned substances. He was stripped of the title.

Whyte has notable victories over Robert Helenius and Dereck Chisora, but he lost in 2015 to Anthony Joshua by technical knockout in the seventh. Before getting stopped, Whyte fought admirably against Joshua. Whyte’s loss garnered him praise and respect.

According to the Sports Book Review, Whyte is favored to win at -366 odds. He deserves to be the favorite against Browne.

Whyte and Browne share several similarities. They are within one inch of each other in height and reach. They’re orthodox boxers and counter-punchers. Whyte and Browne lack amateur experience, but they make up for it with toughness and power.

Whyte is a more polished boxer than Browne. He has a nice jab that he will use to establish distance from Browne. Browne moves well laterally for someone who is six-foot-five and weighs 273 pounds. Expect him to circle around the ring to avoid Whyte’s jab.

Browne has substantial power in his right hand, but he has some defensive liabilities. When attacked, he pulls into a high guard. He absorbs his opponent’s punishment instead of moving his head. Once Whyte figures out his movement pattern, he should connect with combinations thrown straight at Browne’s head.

Browne has a solid chin but he has been dropped before. He was dropped in 2016 against Chagaev in the sixth. He also cuts easily. Browne had a bad cut over his left eye against Chagaev. He stopped Chagaev before it could cause a problem.

In their 2014 fight, Andriy Rudenko cut Browne on the chin and over both eyes. Whyte’s continued punishment is going to take a toll on Browne’s face. It may be too much for him to handle.

Next: Each State's Sports Mt Rushmore

Unless Browne can catch Whyte with an unseen right hand, this should be Whyte’s fight. Whyte should win by TKO in round 8 or 9. The accumulation of his punches will cause Browne’s face to break up. If Browne has one or two deep cuts, the referee might feel obligated to stop the fight.

If Whyte wins impressively, he will continue to clamor for a title bout against Deontay Wilder. Wilder and Joshua have unfinished business to settle first, but Whyte could be in line to fight the winner of a hypothetical matchup between the two.

Browne is a big obstacle for Whyte, but he should be the victor at the end of the night.

Home/Boxing