By Jeff Aranow: Deontay Wilder is after big game for his next fight in 2018, as he’s interested in defending his WBC heavyweight title against Alexander Povetkin or Luis Ortiz. Both of those heavyweights were previously scheduled to face Wilder, but unfortunately both tested positive for banned, preventing the fights from happening.
By Jeff Aranow: Promoter Eddie Hearn says former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin is currently deciding whether to fight for the mandatory position for the WBA or WBO heavyweight titles. If Povetkin fights for the WBA mandatory spot, he could set himself up for a fight against either WBA ‘regular’ champion Manuel Charr or WBA Super World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua.
By Jeff Aranow: Former heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin has been cleared by the World Boxing council for a past failed drug tests, and he’ll soon by back in the WBC’s ratings by early 2018.
The WBC clearing the 38-year-old Povetkin (32-1, 23 KOs) was expected by many in the boxing world.
By Allan Fox: Former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (32-1, 23 KOs) will be fighting on December 15 against an opponent still to be determined at the DIVS in Ekaterinburg, Russia.
#8 WBO Povetkin could be facing #2 WBO Christian Hammer (22-4, 12 KOs) in a World Boxing Organization heavyweight title eliminator match.
By Jim Dower: Former WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (32-1, 23 KOs) won his 7th straight fight in defeating #11 WBO, #13 IBF Andriy Rudenko (31-3, 19 KOs) by an impressive 12 round unanimous decision on Saturday night in front of a large crowd at the Luzhniki Concert Hall in Moscow, Russia.
By Allan Fox: Former WBA World heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin (31-1, 23 KOs) will be fighting this Saturday night on July 1 against fringe contender Andriy Rudenko (31-2, 19 KOs) in a 12 round fight for the vacant WBO International title at the Luzhniki in Moscow, Russia. Rudenko is rated #11 WBO, #13 IBF. This is a big step down for Povetkin from his previous fight against Johann Duhaupas, who would likely make easy work of a small heavyweight like the 6-foot Rudenko.
WBC RULING REGARDING ALEXANDER POVETKIN,
ISSUED BY WBC BOARD OF GOVERNORS ON MARCH 2, 2017
I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND
1. A mandatory WBC World Heavyweight Championship fight was scheduled to be contested on May 21, 2016 in Moscow, Russia between WBC World Champion Deontay Wilder and Alexander Povetkin. (the “World Championship Bout”).
By Eric Baldwin: Former WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin’s drug sample from December 13th has tested negative for banned substances, according to TASS. What this means in this means in terms of Povetkin still being allowed to fight for a world title against WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder is unclear. Povetkin (31-1, 23 KOs) tested positive on December 6 for the banned substance ostarine in a test conducted by the Voluntary Anti Doping Agency [VADA].
After the positive drug test for Povetkin, the World Boxing Council chosen not to sanction his December 17th scheduled fight against Bermane Stiverne for their WBC interim heavyweight title.
In the aftermath of Saturday’s news that the WBC Interim heavyweight title fight in Russia between former heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne and top-ranked Alexander Povetkin had been cancelled because Povetkin tested positive for drugs again, Hall of Fame promoter Don “Only In America” King offered a simple solution:
Declare his fighter, Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs), of Las Vegas, the interim champion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es7LcqlssEw
By Jim Dower: #1 WBC heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin (31-1, 23 KOs) dominated and knocked out an out of shape replacement opponent Johann “Reptile” Duhaupas (34-4, 21 KOs) in stopping him in the 6th round on Saturday night at the Ekaterinburg Expo Center in Ekaterinburg, Russia. The 35-year-old Duhaupas was brought in to replace former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, who chose not to fight tonight after learning that the World Boxing Council wouldn’t sanction the fight after Povetkin tested positive for a banned substance. The official time of the stoppage was at 2:59 of the 6th round.