IT came out of nowhere, a split second of sweet clarity amid all the chaotic turbulence and it forever changed the life of Lucas Browne, Australia’s newest boxing sensation.

His astonishing fightback to win the World Boxing Association heavyweight title from Ruslan Chagaev in Grozny must rank as one of the greatest performances in Australian boxing, and not just because it finally brought home to Australia a trophy that had eluded our best for more than a century.

It was the manner of his victory and the surroundings of his achievement that made it so remarkable.

Browne, proudly wearing the Australian flag on his trunks, dragged himself off the canvas in Round 6 when he looked on the verge of being stopped, and fighting through the blood and the pain somehow clawed his way to victory when he saw the slimmest window of opportunity in Round 10.

With less than a minute to go and the local hero on his way to what seemed like a comfortable win, Chagaev, threw a southpaw left hook and instinctively Browne fired a right hand counter.

It was the best punch the big Australian has thrown in seven years as a professional boxer.

It landed flush on Chagaev’s chin and he went down as though he’d been hit with a baseball bat. Although he slowly staggered to his feet he was a sitting duck for more of Browne’s heavy ammunition as the former bouncer unloaded with both hands and South African referee Stanley Christodoulou finally rescued Chagaev with 32 seconds left in the round.

Browne, who worked on the doors at nightclubs and sold menswear to make ends meet, trained for the fight while living at his mum’s house in western Sydney. He is now unbeaten in 24 fights with 21 of those wins by knockout.

SEE HOW LUCAS BROWNE BECAME AUSTRALIA’S FIRST HEAVYWEIGHT WORLD CHAMP IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

A victorious Lucas Browne. Source: FOX SPORTS

For the first time in history a ring announcer declared yesterday “and the new heavyweight champion of the world …. from Australia’’.

I can only rate Lionel Rose’s extraordinary win over Fighting Harada in Japan in 1968 and Jimmy Carruthers’ triumph in the first round against Vic Toweel in South Africa in 1952 as more impressive Australian victories. Both were at bantamweight (53.5kg).

Browne, the 36-year-old father of three who did not take up boxing until he was in his late 20s after his marriage dissolved, was fighting in enemy territory in more ways than one.

It was an intimidating atmosphere.

Until recently Chechnya was one of the world’s worst trouble spots, ravaged by war. Chagaev, 37, a cult hero in the Russian territory, was surrounded wherever he went by machine-gun toting security guards. Chechnya’s hardline President, Ramzan Kadyrov a close ally of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, was in his corner.

The world champ had one of the best records in heavyweight boxing. His only two losses from 37 fights had been against Olympic gold medallists Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin, yet neither of them beat Chagaev as brutally as the relatively unknown Aussie bouncer yesterday.

Browne told me that he expected Chagaev to start fast and try to finish the fight early as he had done in his previous bout when he iced lanky Italian Francesco Pianeta in the opening round last year.

With that in mind the 196cm, 113kg Aussie used his greater height and reach to stay away from the chunky, fast punching champion (180cm, 112.7kg) in the early rounds.

VIDEO: HOW BIG DADDY MADE HISTORY

FURY ROAD: WHAT’S NEXT FOR AUSTRALIA’S FIRST HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP

World champion...... First Australian heavyweight champion in history... Thankyou to everyone for their support, much more to come .... — Lucas Browne (@bigdaddybrowne1) March 6, 2016

Browne was competitive and defying the 3/1 odds that suggested he’d be humiliated. His hard work with trainer Rodney Williams was paying off and at the lightest of his career he was also at his fastest.

Then BANG.

In Round 6 Chagaev landed a hard right to the body and big left to the chin that dumped Browne on his backside. He was badly hurt, and though he climbed back into the fray it seemed only a matter of time before the local hero’s hand would be raised in triumph and bullets were fired into the air to celebrate.

Then the glimmer of hope presented itself to a big Aussie battler who put every ounce of effort and hope and desire into that one mighty blow in the 10th round.

In many ways the fight was reminiscent of Aussie light-heavyweight Jeff Harding’s fightback to win the WBC title in the last round in Atlantic City in 1989 as he slugged back despite a broken nose and two swollen eyes.

But Chagaev is a better fighter than the dangerous Andries and Browne was surrounded by heavy hitters. With guns.

Browne’s amazing performance ended a long run for Australians attempting boxing’s ultimate prize.

Bill Squires from Narrabri was the first Australian to challenge for the heavyweight crown way back in 1907, followed by Richmond VFL player Bill Lang, Kali Meehan, Alex Leapai and Brisbane’s Joe Bugner, when he was based in England.

Lucas Browne sends Ruslan Chagaev to the canvas. Source: FOX SPORTS

Browne is now one of several fighters at the top of the world heavyweight mountain as titles have become fractured over the years.

Britain’s Tyson Fury, who tipped a Browne victory, is called the WBA “super champion,’’ and also holds the WBO title. Americans Deontay Wilder (WBC) and Charles Martin (IBF) also hold world crowns.

But Browne has proved he is among the very best heavyweights in the world and is now in line for a multi-million dollar title defence just years after handing in his bow tie as a bouncer.

Browne has also been mentioned as a possible opponent for another Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua, a giant Englishman who is challenging IBF champion Charles Martin next month.

“I can’t see any problems making fights with Joshua or Fury,” said Browne’s promoter, the former world champ Ricky Hatton.

“Lucas has fought five times (in the UK) and has a good fan base. He is one of the heaviest punchers in the world and he can knock out anybody.’’

He proved that in Russia.

TOP 5 PERFORMANCES BY AN AUSTRALIAN BOXER

1. Lionel Rose: Win on points 15 rounds over Fighting Harada, Budokan Hall, Tokyo, 27 February 1968

2. Jimmy Carruthers: KO Round 1 over Vic Toweel, Rand Stadium, Johannesburg, 15 November 1952

3. Lucas Browne: TKO 10 over Ruslan Chagaev, Colosseum Sports Hall, Grozny, Chechnya, 5 March 2016

4. Kostya Tszyu: TKO Round 2 over Zab Judah, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, 3 November 2001

5. Jeff Harding: TKO Round 12 over Dennis Andries, Convention Centre, Atlantic City, New Jersey, 24 June 1989

Re-live Browne v Chagaev below!