Lucas Browne Maybe Stripped of Title

[Fistic Fury]

Australian boxing champion Lucas Browne tests positive for clenbuterol
March 22, 2016 9:36am
Staff writersnews.com.au

Our first heavyweight champion. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij/News Corp
AUSTRALIA’S first heavyweight boxing champion Lucas “Big Daddy” Browne has sensationally tested positive to banned substance clenbuterol.

A drugs test conducted by the Las Vegas-based agency Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) before his WBA regular heavyweight world champion title fight victory over Russian Ruslan Chagaev in Chechnya two weeks ago returned a positive result.

ESPN has reported Browne tested positive to clenbuterol in his “A sample” and no testing has been done of his “B sample” because of the testing agency demanding the Sydney-based fighter pay for the second round of testing.

Browne’s breakthrough win over Chagaev marked him as an Australian champion, but his bright future and promise of potential mega-fights against the likes of David Haye, Tyson Fury and Fres Oquendo is now clouded.

ESPN boxing analyst Dan Rafael reported the 36-year-old is expected to be stripped of his title.

VADA president Dr. Margaret Goodman wrote a letter to the organisers of the Browne-Chagaev fight, informing them of Browne’s positive test.

Unclear future.
“This letter is to advise you that the ‘A’ sample urine specimen number 2998060 collected from Lucas Browne ... has been analysed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists and stimulants,” Goodman wrote.

“The results of the analysis are as follows: Adverse. Urine specimen contains Clenbuterol.

“Mr. Browne has the right to promptly request analysis of the ‘B sample’ at his expense.”

Browne took to Twitter after hearing about his positive test, saying “I don’t understand today’s news, and I’m seeking legal advice”.


Clenbuterol is predominantly used as a metabolism booster as part of a fat-burning program. The drug increases the average core temperature of the human body, boosting the metabolism of the user.

Browne now holds a portion of the WBA heavyweight title, which is currently split three ways, with a unified world champion in Tyson Fury and an interim belt holder in Luis Ortiz.

The win effectively takes him through to the semi-final of the tournament to produce one champion, with his next fight expected to be to be against Puerto Rican Fres Oquendo, who hasn’t fought since dropping a majority decision to Chagaev in Grozny July 2014.

Browne incredibly brushed off an accusation of using performance enhancing substances on Monday night, just hours before news of his positive test result was made public.

In a strange exchange with a fan on Twitter, Browne said the reason for his slimmed down figure was that he has been eating less junk food.

He also said his team was responsible for the strict testing both fighters went through in Chechnya.

[Yanni]

All I know is that Browne was in the best shape of his career heading into the fight. Doesn't mean anything really, but I would like to see the "strange exchange with a fan on twitter" though.

[Fistic Fury]

(03-22-2016, 01:47 PM)Yanni Wrote: All I know is that Browne was in the best shape of his career heading into the fight.  Doesn't mean anything really, but I would like to see the "strange exchange with a fan on twitter" though.

Quote:klitskosTKOcain ‎@klitsTkOcain
@bigdaddybrowne1 @MelbourneBoxers yes , I I've gotta say daddy you looked a lot trimmer then your last outing new supplement regime?  Lol

Quote:[/url]

[url=https://twitter.com/bigdaddybrowne1] Follow
Lucas Browne ‎@bigdaddybrowne1
@klitsTkOcain @MelbourneBoxers less junk food
8:44 PM - 21 Mar 2016

• klitskosTKOcain ‎@klitsTkOcain@bigdaddybrowne1 @MelbourneBoxers do they drug test in Russia ? Urine or blood ? Do you think any guys I've fought on the juice? FollowLucas Browne ‎@bigdaddybrowne1@klitsTkOcain @MelbourneBoxers we made sure they did amd both blood amd urine11:42 PM - 21 Mar 2016Hi Yanni Hope this helps - my copying skills aren't the best. The Article just came out in the Courier Mail - Brisbane

[Yanni]

Thanks man.  Even if Browne hadn't have tested positive, that twitter exchange on its own seems pretty odd if not plain suspicious.

[Infern0]

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the wba regular if Browne gets stripped.

Chagaev v oquendo 2 probably

Zzzzzz

[craigyid14]

In the overall big picture of things, it doesn't mean a lot. Another cheat caught, it would be a travesty if it was one of the new kids on the block but this has as much of an effect on me as one of buttabeans fights.

[tm7]

In a way I feel sorry for Browne because he seems like such a nice guy but if he's a drugs cheat you can't argue with that

[Boxingfan25]

I must say I was quite shocked when I found out Browne has tested positive for drugs as he did not come across as the type that would take drugs he seems genuine nice guy and speaks extremely well in interviews but I guess even nice guys break the rules sometimes.

[NakiFan]

Reports are coming through that Lucas B sample came back positive and the title has been stripped...early days yet so I can't post a credible source link.

[diehard]

Lucas Browne Stripped and Suspended for Six Months

On March 5 at the Colosseum Sport Hall in Grozny, Chechnya, Lucas Browne (24-0, 21 KOs) became Australia’s first world heavyweight champ when he won the WBA World heavyweight title by stopping Ruslan Chagaev (34-3-1, 21 KOs) via 10th round TKO. That win was in jeopardy, however, when Clenbuterol, a weight reducing drug, was detected in Browne’s “A” urine sample, according to the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), after the fight.

No immediate action was taken until the “B” sample confirmed or repudiated VADA’s original findings. Those findings have been released and the “B” sample has corroborated the results of the “A” sample. Under the circumstances, the WBA Championships Committee, in accordance with its rules, has stripped Lucas Browne of his heavyweight title and suspended him for six months. When that six-month period is over, Browne’s status will be reconsidered, depending on whether or not he intends to return to the ring.

In the meantime, Chagaev will have 120 days to negotiate a fight with Fres Oquendo, who by court order in the United States is entitled to this shot. Oquendo is the mandatory opponent of the winner of the upcoming title fight between WBA interim heavyweight champion Luis Ortiz and #3 ranked Alexander Ustinov.

Browne has expressed disbelief that he tested positive for a banned substance. He asked why a heavyweight would need to use a weight reduction drug. He also said that it must have been something he ate. There is no way to determine if that is true or not, but the WBA has stated repeatedly that the boxer and his team are responsible for what enters his system, whether it’s by eating, drinking, or other means.