[CW: The following story discusses alleged domestic abuse and harassment]
Last week SIlive.com reported that current WBA interim light heavyweight champion Marcus Browne has taken a plea deal in his most recent domestic violence case.
On January 30th, Browne, 28, pleaded guilty to criminal contempt in the second degree after allegedly attacking his girlfriend last year. After pleading guilty, Browne was sentenced to 26 sessions of New York’s batterer’s intervention program and a conditional discharge with a full order of protection.
This all stems from an incident that occurred on September 27th, 2018, when Browne is alleged to have choked a woman, the mother of his daughter, at an apartment they shared in Staten Island, NY.
Prosecutors alleged that before choking the woman, Browne kicked a hole through a door and grabbed a phone out of the woman’s hand; which she had been using to call for help.
In March, 2018 Browne was the subject of another criminal complaint involving the same woman. A law enforcement source told SIlive that in that incident Browne was accused of violating an order of protection by showing up at the woman’s home. It is alleged that Browne threatened to break a window if he was not let into the home.
Authorities stated that Browne was captured on surveillance footage striking the door bell and peep hole with an unknown object. After this he was charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal contempt, criminal obstruction of breathing and circulation, criminal mischief and harassment.
The order of protection Browne was alleged to have violated then, was enacted in December 2017. This happened after Browne was accused of assaulting this same woman. In that reported assault Browne is alleged to have grabbed the woman’s neck and arm and hit her in the face with his index finger.
Police said the victim suffered substantial pain and bruising around her eye as a result of the incident.
Browne, who boxed on the USA’s 2012 Olympic team, began his professional career in November 2012. Since then he has amassed a 23-0 record. His most recent victory came versus Badou Jack at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on January 19th.
Before he was scheduled to fight Jack, Browne was scheduled to box current WBO light heavyweight champion Sergey Kovalev (per Bad Left Hook). However, that fight was canceled after Browne’s arrest on March 30th.
Kovalev fought Eleider Alvarez instead and was knocked out in their bout in August 2018. Kovalev defeated Alvarez in their rematch this past weekend to retain his WBO title.
Kovalev took the fight despite being charged with a felony assault in January for allegedly punching a woman and causing major injuries.
Support for survivors of domestic violence can be found from the following organizations:
USA – The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Canada – DAWN-RAFH Canada
UK and Ireland – Women’s Aid: 0808-2000-247
Rest of the World – HotPeachPages
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