Two-time heavyweight world titleholder American Shannon Briggs has been suspended by the WBA after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs.

The American was due to face Fres Oquendo on June 3 for the vacant secondary world title at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association conducted the test, and once the organisations findings were made clear that the American had tested positive for heightened levels of testosterone, the fight was cancelled with two weeks’ notice.

The winner was meant to fight Anthony Joshua.

Briggs' sample ratio was found to be testosterone-to-epitestosterone 7.89 to 1, which massively exceeds the World Anti-Doping Agency 4 to 1 standard.

On Wednesday, the WBA released a statement which said: "No boxer who has tested positive for a prohibited substance can be rated, retain a title, or be permitted to participate in a sanctioned bout for no less than six (6) months from the date of the positive test."

Brooklyn native Briggs possesses an impressive fight record of (60-6-1, 53 KOs). The 45-year-old’s last meaningful victory was back in 2006, however, when he beat Sergey Liakhovich to win a world title.

In 2010, Briggs suffered a heavy beating against then title holder Vitali Klitschko. But, since those halcyon days of the noughties, the American fighter has had to fight low level opponents.

The WBA is yet to announce what is going to happen with the vacant secondary title fight, the organisation does own Oquendo a fight following a ruling by the US Supreme Court.

In truth, this whole saga is symptomatic of WBA bureaucracy. It was a ridiculous fight to even sanction.

Briggs at 45 is a throwback to a by-gone era. To put it into context, the American lost a title fight against Lennox Lewis back in 1997 – and that was 20 years ago.

Oquendo is 44-years-old, last fought in 2014 against Ruslan Chagaev, in a bout which can best be described as ugly.

What are the WBA thinking?!