Australian boxer Lucas Browne is reportedly set to be stripped of the WBA 'regular' world title he won in Russia earlier this month after failing a post-fight drug test.
A leading rival to rising Kiwi star Joseph Parker in a revitalised heavyweight division, Browne claimed one of the organisation's three world belts with a 10th round stoppage of Uzbekistan's Ruslan Chagaev on March 6.
British fighter Tyson Fury is the WBA unified champion, while heavy-hitting Cuban southpaw Luis Ortiz is the holder of their interim title belt.
The victory made 'Big Daddy' Browne the first Australian to win a heavyweight world title, but that feat looks to be up in the air after ESPN.com reported he had tested positive for the banned substance Clenbuterol.
Clenbuterol has the ability to build muscle, strip fat and boost aerobic capacity. It was responsible for two-year bans handed to two-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, Collingwood AFL players Lachie Keeffe and Josh Thomas and former NRL player Reni Matua.
Penned by well-respected boxing writer Dan Rafael, the report said unbeaten Browne would likely be stripped of the belt and the official result of the fight would be changed to a no result.
The post-fight urine test was conducted by the Las Vegas-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association, who confirmed the positive result in a email sent to several parties involved with the bout on Tuesday (NZ time).
"This letter is to advise you that the 'A' sample urine specimen number 2998060 collected from Lucas Browne ... has been analyzed for anabolic agents, diuretics, beta-2 agonists and stimulants," VADA president Dr. Margaret Goodman said in the email obtained by ESPN.com.
"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's manager Matt Clark and promoter Ricky Hatton did not reply to attempts to seek comment, ESPN.com said.
However, Browne had tweeted his reaction to the report.
"I don't understand today's news, and I'm seeking legal advice...," he said.
Earlier this month, Browne told Parker to "piss off and work hard like I did" after the Kiwi's management team at Duco Events said the big Aussie was "running scared" of a potential bout.
Duco have previously offered Browne substantial money to take on Parker in New Zealand and claimed their fighter would "humiliate" the heavily-tattooed former MMA fighter.
Clark said they "laughed reading those comments", but did not rule out a clash with Parker if it made sense money-wise.
Browne's response to Parker's camp was more to the point.
"My message is simple: piss off," he told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.
"If you want to win yourself a world title, great. Go do what I did.
"Fight a heap of times overseas, work your way up and earn it the hard way."
Parker is ranked 11th with the WBA, first with the WBO, fifth with the WBC and sixth with the IBF.
Browne, a 36-year-old with a 24-0 professional record (21 knockouts), went down in the closing stages of the sixth round against Chagaev.
The Australian managed to recover, though, before rocking Chagaev with a right hand in the 10th round and landing a series of punches before the referee stepped in and stopped the bout.
The WBA wanted Browne to face American Fres Oquendo by June as part of a tournament designed to find their one ultimate champion of the three beltholders.