Tuesday 14 July 2015 14:33, UK
Unbeaten Australian heavyweight Lucas Browne has vacated his Commonwealth title as he is mandatory challenger to WBA world champion Ruslan Chagaev.
The 36-year-old (22-0-0-KO19) had been calling out WBC king Deontay Wilder via social media but following Chagaev's first-round stoppage of Francesco Pianeta at the weekend, Browne is turning his attentions to the Russian.
"Holding the Commonwealth title was a huge honour for me and I do not relinquish the belt easily," Browne said. "However, I'm currently the mandatory challenger to Ruslan Chagaev's WBA heavyweight title and that is now my focus.
"I am on the verge of becoming Australia's first-ever heavyweight world champion and I cannot wait to win that in the near future."
Browne's manager Matt Clark added: "Lucas has accomplished something that will go down in Australian boxing folklore. We are relinquishing the title to keep it active and allow 'Big Daddy' to focus on securing the world title.
"We didn't want to hold up the Commonwealth belt and Lucas is relinquishing it to allow for activity. We sincerely thank the Commonwealth Boxing Council for all their support."
Browne won the belt when he knocked out Eric Martel Bahoeli in the fifth round in Sheffield in April 2014.
