Heavyweight Lucas Browne’s career is starting to be in jeopardy thanks to a second failed drug test.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told ESPN that VADA informed him about Browne’s failed test.
"We have been notified by VADA about Browne's adverse finding as he was tested under the CBP," Sulaiman said. "He has been notified, and the process is being attended as per the protocol."
In July, Browne voluntarily enrolled in the WBC's new Clean Boxing Program to show he was committed to boxing as a clean fighter. Browne was subject to random drug tests throughout the year due to his enrollment in the program.
On March 5, Browne defeated Ruslan Chagaev with a 10th round knockout to win the WBA's secondary world title, which would have made him the first Australian to win a world boxing heavyweight title. Unfortunately, Browne's A and B samples both tested positive for clenbuterol after the fight, and he was suspended for six months by the WBA and stripped of the belt, which was returned to Chagaev. The title became vacant in July, when Chagaev was stripped for his failure to pay delinquent sanctioning fees to the WBA.
Browne was supposed to face former world champion Shannon Briggs for the vacant WBA “regular” heavyweight title. A date and venue for the fight is not set yet, but the WBA did say that the fight must take place by December 31. The winner of that fight must face mandatory challenger Fres Oquendo within 120 days of the Browne-Briggs fight.
Browne is undefeated in 24 fights as a professional boxer and has held the Australian and Commonwealth heavyweight titles.
