Promoter Andrey Ryabinsky, who handles Povetkin’s affairs, stated that new tests would clear the former WBA champion of any wrongdoing over a positive test for meldonium. Povetkin was due to fight Wilder as mandatory challenger on May 21 until a sample given by the Russian was flagged for the substance.
Title holder Wilder was subsequently forced to ditch his training schedule and take a break from preparations for the fight, which the WBC said was only ‘postponed’ until further investigation.
As time dragged on, World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman ruled that Wilder no longer had an immediate obligation to Povetkin and has now reiterated once again that this is case.
“The World Boxing Council has granted WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder a voluntary defense of his title and the WBC has formed a Clean Boxing Program Emergency Committee, which will meet during the month of June to continue with the process outlined by the Rules and Regulations and protocols corresponding to the specific case of Alexander Povetkin. The WBC will not discuss any matter until the process has been finished,” said the WBC update.
Ryabinsky, the purse bid winner for the contest, is hoping to rearrange the fight as soon as possible but had no obligation to Wilder making another defense when commenting last week.
