Alexander Povetkin?s long history with failing drug tests isn?t preventing from getting fights.
World Boxing News has reported that Povetkin will be fighting Andriy Rudenko on July 1 at Moscow?s Russia Central Concert Hall in a card being organized by the World of Boxing promotion company.
Failed drug tests in the past has prevented Povetkin the opportunity from fighting in world title fights. Povetkin failed a drug test last year which canceled his mandatory title opportunity against WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, testing positive for the banned substance meldonium. Povetkin was then booked for a vacant WBC interim title fight late last year against Bermane Stiverne, but Povetkin also tested positive for ostarine, an anabolic steroid. Stiverne no longer wanted to fight Povetkin and so Povetkin fought Duhaupas on less than two weeks? notice and knocked out Duhaupas on December 12.
Povetkin is still suspended indefinitely by the WBC and isn?t allowed to compete in WBC-sanctioned fights back in March. He was also fined $250,000 and was assigned to a testing protocol by VADA as part of the WBC?s Clean Boxing Program. Povetkin will be allowed to apply for reinstatement next March
Rudenko is the current WBC international Silver heavyweight titleholder and is 31-2 with 19 KOs. Povetkin is 31-1 with 23 KOs. Povetkin?s lone loss came back in 2013 when he lost to Wladimir Klitschko in a unification bout. Povetkin was the WBA champion heading into the fight.
The Povetkin-Rudenko card will also host a co-feature between junior welterweights Eduard Troyanovsky and Michele Di Rocco.