Haugen Short-Circuits ‘Lightning’ With 1 Swing : Left to the Head KOs Charlie Brown Early in 1st Round

The plan for Reseda boxer Charlie (White Lightning) Brown Friday night was not to try and slug it out with highly-touted Greg Haugen.

Haugen, from Auburn, Wash., entered the fight 13-0-1, with his last two victories coming by knockout over veteran Freddie Roach and Chris Calvin.

But Brown didn’t follow his trainer’s advice as he began the fight in the Showboat Hotel Sports Pavilion.

The 21-year-old lightweight had his night cut short rather quickly--one minute into the first round--by way of a solid left hook to the head.

With the knockout in the scheduled 10-round main event, Haugen remained undefeated and advanced into a March match-up for the vacant North American Boxing Federation’s lightweight title that once belonged to Hector (Macho) Camacho. His opponent has not yet been named.

The knockout also left Brown’s future in question. He had entered the bout on a comeback trail.

“Whatever happens now is his decision,” said Brown’s trainer, Joe Goossen of the Ten Goose Gym in North Hollywood.

“Psychologically, I don’t know how a loss like this will affect him. He’s just got to sit back and think about his future.”

Brown, whose record fell to 27-3 with 19 KOs, wasn’t supposed to go in and try to punch it out with Haugen, who entered the ring with seven knockouts.

The two traded punches right at the opening bell, with Haugen gaining the upper hand. But before Goossen could shout advice to his fighter, Haugen missed with a right upper cut. He was left, however, with an open target. A solid left hook sent Brown to the canvas.

Still dazed, he was on his feet by the count of five, but referee Carlos Padilla stopped the fight when Brown couldn’t remember his own name.

Still, Brown’s corner wasn’t happy with the call.

“Charlie was hurt, there was no doubt about that. But I don’t know if he should have stopped it so soon,” Goossen said. “There were other fights tonight that the fighters were given chances to continue. Maybe Charlie should have gotten a chance to stay with it.

“I didn’t want to slug it out with him, but unfortunately, the kid made it happen,” Goossen said.

Brown, still stunned from the early exit, agreed that he made a mistake in strategy.

“I just got caught cold. I didn’t expect him to come at me like that,” Brown said. “He just hit me hard.”

Battling back after consecutive losses by knockout, Brown had scored three straight victories and was looking to complete the journey back by gaining a title shot.

That has been put on hold and the opportunity now belongs to Haugen.

“I’ve proven myself and I deserve an opportunity,” Haugen said. “Charlie’s a good fighter, but I’m glad they stopped it. I could have hurt him badly.”

The card, which was nationally televised by ESPN, featured six fights. Three ended in the first round while another was over in the second.