‘Big 12’ makes big plans
Published:Wednesday | December 27, 2023 | 12:09 AMLivingston Scott /Gleaner Writer
IN 2023, CANADA-BASED Jamaican heavyweight boxer Ricardo ‘Big 12’ Brown was unstoppable.
The United Boxing Promotions fighter fought five times over the year and dominated all his opponents, winning all his fights inside three rounds and taking his overall record to 10-0, all via knockouts.
After closing the chapter to what was a very successful 2023, Brown is now training his sights on taking down stronger opponents in 2024, and making it an even better year he said.
“Yes, I am ready. We are looking at that right now, to move up. We are going to step up very soon. So right now we are going to plan the way for 2024, getting our stuff ready to hit the road,” he told The Gleaner.
“Next year I am going to look in and watch some good heavyweight boxing and do some good sparring, and try to stay in shape and stay active and just be ready for anything that comes.
“It is going to be way better, training camp is going to be harder and way better experiences are going to come, so I can’t wait for next year.”
In his last fight on December 2, Brown floored the Hungarian Jozsef Darmos twice in the first round for a typical knockout victory in two minutes, 19 seconds. Despite the early knockout, of his five fights over the year, Darmos left the biggest impression.
“This guy (Darmos) who I fought last. He has a strong overhand right. When he comes and he really catches you, he really hits.
“When he caught me with that first punch I backed up and was like ‘OK, I am not going to go no more. I am going to take him out’, and that’s what I did. I took the one punch and went after him and took him out,” he recalled.
Brown, who stands at 6′ 7½″, noted that he continues to get stronger but that his massive physique continues to drive fear into his opponents even before they set foot in the ring.
“I have 10 fights with 10 knockouts. They say all my fights were good. But I am stronger, so when I hit them, they don’t want anymore.
“When they come to do weigh-in and they look at me, it’s like damn, am I really going to fight this guys. So just the look on their faces lets me know that these guys are not ready.
“But these guys have fought some real champions, guys who can fight, like real boxers. But when I go in the ring and they feel the power they don’t want to fight,” he revealed.
He also hopes that 2024 is the year he gets to do his first professional fight in his native land.
“He (promoter Tyler Buxton) is still working on that. As soon as he gets the help, with the sponsors to come in, we can put that show on in Jamaica because we need it and the people need to see me out there. So I can’t wait to get that fight.”