Dan Rafael reported that Alexander Povetkin failed a drug test ahead of his world title fight with heavyweight Deontay Wilder.
One of the most anticipated heavyweight fights hit a major snag as WBC challenger Alexander Povetkin failed a drug test before his fight with rising star Deontay Wilder. ESPN’s Dan Rafael was the first to report the news:
Two sources with knowledge of test have told ESPN that Povetkin tested positive for meldonium with title fight vs Wilder a week away.
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) May 13, 2016
Status of the #WilderPovetkin fight is unclear at the moment after Povetkin's positive test. #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) May 13, 2016
One has to think what was going on inside Povetkin’s head, especially when he had a world title fight a week away. It’s not as if he is an amateur boxer, either. He owns a 30-1 record, with his only blemish coming against Wladimir Klitschko.
He was expected to be the toughest test for the WBC champ, and a win for Wilder would’ve set up some massive fights down the road, such as a unification bout against Anthony Joshua or the winner of the Tyson Fury vs. Klitschko rematch. But as it turns out, the biggest test for Povetkin turned out to be himself.
And after this not-so-flattering moment, he was given a very unflattering nickname to remember it by:
With his positive drug test, a #FightFreak christened Povetkin as Dopevetkin today. LOL! #boxing
— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) May 13, 2016
It’s unclear what the WBC is going to do with Deontay Wilder now, but there is no way that he’s happy about this in the least bit. Hopefully things get resolved in a civil manner, and Wilder is able to find another challenger for his belt sooner rather than later.
Visit our Boxing page for the latest news.