Support Damian Brierty campaign to cover Browne vs. Chagaev

 
AUSTRALIAN photographer Damian Brierty is looking to cover a piece of Australian boxing history.

 
On March 5th, leading Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne will travel to the foreign surroundings of Grozny, Russia, where he will challenge Ruslan Chagaev for his version of the WBA heavyweight title at the Akhmat Arena.

 
For Browne, this not only represents an opportunity to go one better than compatriot Alex Leapai, who fell in four rounds in 2014, but also a chance to become the first Australian to hold the heavyweight championship.

 
Speaking from his Seddon base in Melbourne’s west, Brierty explains the importance of covering a landmark event for Australian boxing – given both the enormity of the task at hand – as well as the fight itself.

 
“Lucas Browne has the opportunity to make his mark on the heavyweight division,” said Brierty to Aus-Boxing.

 
“He is personable and he shows respect in interviews and is very matter of fact about what he wants,”

 
“I find it impressive when our boxers commit themselves to go overseas and take on the world. It really is a test of their character and you can only admire an Aussie for having a go, especially outside of their country,”

 
“I think to document Lucas going overseas is really important in that he’s representing all of Australian boxing,”

 
“This really something significant for Australian boxing to have a heavyweight world champion.”

 
More often than not, being an Australian-based photographer can be a thankless task. Many if not all do it for the love of the sport and its combatants, with only a select few making a regular income off their work.

 
For Brierty, his passion and pure interest has taken him to both Macau and Las Vegas, where he documented the journey of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao’s last fights before their eventual showdown last May.

 
With that said, these trips have been funded out of his own pocket, which despite being memorable for a handful of reasons, makes travelling to shoot other fights abroad increasingly difficult.

 
“Last year I covered Mayweather-Pacquiao in Las Vegas and although I only had a media pass for everything but the fight, it was still worth covering the event,”

 
“I paid for everything out of my pocket and taking time off work meant that it was a big commitment financially,”

 
“I can’t go overseas anymore with out funding,” he concluded.

 
“I simply can’t afford it.”

 
Click here to pledge your support for Damian and his campaign to cover Browne vs. Chagaev.

 
 
Photo: Damian Brierty/Visual Delight