I recently had a chance to speak to #5 ranked WBA, WBC, IBF heavyweight contender “Big Daddy” Lucas Browne. Browne is undefeated with a record of 22-0 (19KOs) and is coming off of an impressive victory over former contender Chauncy Welliver. Lucas speaks on his most recent win, and talks about his future in the heavyweight division. Browne also talks about potentially facing Wladimir Klitschko and who he would like to fight next. Additionally Browne gives his thoughts on Mayweather-Pacquiao and who he would pick to win that fight. Here is what Lucas Browne had to say.

Robert Brown: You scored a win over the durable Chauncey Welliver last month, how do you feel about your performance?

Lucas Browne: It was a good performance in regards to me getting together a few little things that I’ve been practicing this year. He was an awkward fellow, in regards to him turning southpaw and things like that, so it created a little bit of frustration in the first few rounds.

Once I figured out what I was doing by the third and fourth round, it was all over from there. I was very happy with the performance as a whole but there’s a lot more learning to come.

Robert Browne: To be able to do a performance like that against a guy that’s never been knocked off his feet, did that give you some satisfaction to be able to do a performance like that?

Lucas Browne: Yeah well and truly. I still would have liked to have put him on his ass and I think if it went another round it would have happened but full credit to him for staying in as long as he did.

I believe he may have had a fractured eye socket, so I’m sure that didn’t help him in any way but that’s just the beauty of myself, having the power to be able to stop a fight like that. It’s just a matter of me now working on the fitness and technique to continue with the bigger boys.

Robert Brown: How did you and Jeff Fenech get together and why did you decide to employ the services of Jeff at this stage?

Lucas Browne: Basically, I’ve had a few trainers here and there that haven’t been world class and I haven’t learned as much as I would like to, that’s why I made the move back from Perth over to Sydney to work out with Jeff. It was just a nice little Facebook conversation and then we had a phone conversation and he had a few things to offer, obviously the man can talk.

He sold a good sell to me and we’ve hooked up since then and the thing that I like about Jeff is he’s got knowledge to burn sort of thing, he’s got the connections all over the place but I actually listen to him at the same time.

One of the things that I’ve had trouble in the past was that myself and the trainers didn’t really see eye to eye or I thought that maybe I was a bit too experienced than what they were, so I didn’t want to listen to what they were saying because it just didn’t make sense. I know he has a thousand times more experience than I do and he’s only a little fellow but for some reason I just sit there and listen to him like a little schoolboy, so it’s great.

Robert Brown: Who are you looking to target next?

Lucas Browne: Personally, I would like to target people like Ruslan Chagaev who currently has the WBA world title. That will basically put me in place to fight Klitschko for the bigger titles. People like Tyson Fury, I think everybody in the UK would love to see that fight.

From an American point of view, I think Deontay Wilder would be a great fight for me because he’s 32-0, 32 KO’s — he hasn’t faced the highest quality of people but I think it’s about time he gets one put on his chin and everyone sort of finds out what he’s really about. From my point of view, that’s what I want.

Robert Brown: Lucas, I’d like to change things up for a few minutes and get your thoughts on a hot subject in boxing today. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao. Do you think that fight will ever happen.

Lucas Browne: I don’t know, obviously everyone wants to see it and I think it will be the biggest money maker in the history of boxing, so why not? Everything is pointing towards a positive for it to happen, but I think it’s maybe Mayweather wants to keep his record as a zero and I think Pacquiao might be too much of a threat to that.

Robert Brown: Do you think that’s the reason that Mayweather is hesitant to fight Pacquiao? And if you had to put your money on one of them, who would you pick?

Lucas Browne: Yeah I think the only one that is a threat is Mayweather is Pacquiao, for sure. I’d probably still put money on Mayweather, he’s just too slippery

Robert Brown: Back to yourself Lucas. Given the fact that Australia hasn’t had many serious heavyweights over the years, do you revel in that pressure and feel pride to be a serious Australian heavyweight?

Lucas Browne: To be honest, there’s no pressure. I’ve done about twelve years of security on the doors as a bouncer, so when it comes to being in a controlled environment in a ring with a referee, I’ve got no problems whatsoever with any of that, so that’s sensational.

In terms of the pride aspect, I want to be able to represent Australia, represent my family. I want my kids to be able to look up and say, “Yeah that’s my dad,” and be proud of things that I’ve achieved and look back at their lives and aspire to be like their dad. Things like that are what drive me and what pushes me further.

Also, I just want to be paid. We do all this for the love of it but at the same time we can’t pay the rent with nothing, so we want to be able to buy a house and just live the dream at the same time.

Robert Brown: You mentioned a desire to eventually fight Klitshcko in the future. How can you break the code, what can you do against Klitschko that the other fighters can’t?

Lucas Browne: The thing that people continuously do is try and box him. You don’t try and box someone who’s perfected his art over the last ten years and does it to perfection. My gameplan would be to come in at the lightest and fittest I’ve ever been — I’m looking at 112 kilos.

I’ve been fighting at sort of 120 kilos for a while, I think if I can come in at about 112kg, have the agility but still have the strength and the speed and power, and basically just school yard bash him. There’s no technical thing about it. Use the power, get in underneath, push him up against the ropes, bully him around and just bash him.

Robert Brown: Do you think the key to fighting Wladimir Klitschko is getting on the inside, which fighters have failed to do up until this stage?

Lucas Browne: Definitely, he sort of keeps that left hand out as a measuring stick so to speak. I think that alone gives him the advantage because he stays up nice and tall, he’s got good footwork and he stays at the right distance. I think if you sit there and bash that arm a little bit, or at least get it out of commission, you’re opening up a few more chances for the right hand, you can do more inside work. He’s very good also at coming to a clinch, so I think a nice little wrestling background like myself would come in very handy there.

Robert Brown: Do you think your background would help you in terms of getting on the inside and working Klitschko’s body?

Lucas Browne: One hundred percent. I’ve got no problem whatsoever, I feel very comfortable in a clinch or in close. There’s a lot of people who stray away from that or like Klitschko does, he actually comes up and holds, so he doesn’t do anything while he’s there. Some peoples’ whole gameplan should be to get in close and actually try to capitalize while you’re in close to throw those body punches and uppercuts.

Robert Brown:In closing Lucas, what do you think Hatton promotions plan is for you in 2015?

Lucas Browne:In regards to Hatton’s plan, I think they want me to have a defense of the commonwealth title. I’m not too sure who against, I think it may be Gary Cornish at this stage, he’s from Scotland I believe, and hopefully Ruslan Chagaev as well. They’re pushing for the Chagaev front but also having the commonwealth title defense. I don’t know, I don’t even have a date about anything but definitely early in 2015.