Friday 15 April 2016 16:21, UK
Lucas Browne believes his failed drugs test was down to eating a steak in Russia and is planning to take a polygraph test in a bid to prove his innocence.
Browne (24-0-KO21) claimed the WBA world heavyweight title when he stopped Ruslan Chagaev in Grozny in early March, but the giant Australian subsequently tested positive for Clenbuterol.
The 37-year-old immediately pleaded innocence and has now told couriermail.com.au: "I have to say they still treated me very well, a five-star hotel with the whole floor to ourselves. It was a great experience but it's been tainted by this crap. Maybe all along they were trying to lull me to sleep?
"(After the fight), the people from VADA tested Chagaev first and I had to wait around for two hours after the fight to do our test. The A Sample tested positive, but we're going to ask VADA to open the B sample.
Me and another boxer, Brian Minto, from America were the only fighters given steaks. My assumption is that something was in the steak.
"We're under the assumption that since the A sample was tainted, the B sample will be too. It's the same urine. But you never know, because (former world middleweight champ) Sam Soliman's B sample came back negative.
"I've also sent some underarm hair follicles to give us a good reading of what's going on and I'm going to do a polygraph (lie detector) test, as I know I'm innocent.
"If I failed the test, I think it had to have been put in my system the day of the fight or the day before.
"If I'm not mistaken, we had the official weigh-in for the fight on the morning the day before the fight and then a big publicity extravaganza that night. Me and another boxer, Brian Minto, from America were the only fighters given steaks. My assumption is that something was in the steak."
Browne is promoted by Ricky Hatton's Hatton Promotions, who have issued statements insisting the Sydney boxer is "a clean athlete".
