Former heavyweight boxing champion – who fought Anthony Joshua – ‘set to have 10 years of results revoked’ after testing positive for banned substance

Former heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin is set to see a decade’s worth of results revoked following an investigation which uncovered the previously unreported presence of a banned substance.

Povetkin, 45 and retired since 2021, tested positive for Ostarine in 2016 leading to him being served with a 1-year suspension before later returning to the sport.

However, as part of a broader probe into systematic doping in Russian sports, the International Testing Agency has uncovered that Povetkin also tested positive for Ostarine back in 2014.

He is now serving a four-year ‘period of ineligibility’ following the investigation.

The International Testing Agency said: ‘After being notified of the case and informed of his procedural rights, the athlete decided not to challenge the anti-doping rule violation.

‘In addition, the athlete’s results from October 25 2014 until the start of the athlete’s provisional suspension on October 21 2024 have been disqualified, including the results obtained during a boxing match held on the night of October 24/25 2014.’

British heavyweight Dillian Whyte is targeting a ‘trilogy’ fight with Anthony Joshua as he vows to retire his bitter rival.

The heavyweight duo first clashed on the amateur circuit 16-years ago, as ‘The Bodysnatcher’ claimed a points victory over a novice Joshua who hadn’t long had his first contest when the pair met.

Their bitter feud was reignited in December 2015 when ‘AJ’ captured the vacant British heavyweight title with an explosive 7th-round knockout victory over Whyte, who had rocked Joshua in the second round before eventually suffering the first defeat of his professional career.

Their highly anticipated rematch was due to happen in August 2023, but was cancelled after Whyte returned an adverse finding in a doping test. Finnish heavyweight Robert Helenius stepped in and was knocked out in seven rounds. Whyte was later cleared to box after an investigation found it was a contaminated supplement that caused the findings.

Joshua is expected to return to the ring for the first time since suffering a shock knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois last September, with Whyte putting himself forward to face his rival as he vows to finally send him into retirement.

Speaking to Sky Sports Boxing, ‘The Bodysnatcher’ welcomed the idea of facing the 35-year-old for the third time, but claimed he is ‘finished’ after that defeat to Dubois.

“If he wants to fight, then all they’ve got to do is call me. I’m always up for fighting AJ. No problem for me. However, personally, I think he’s finished. I think he made a huge mistake not taking the immediate rematch with Dubois. It was a world title fight, a great payday and the perfect opportunity to avenge his knockout loss.”

“Me and him will always be a good fight. We just have that chemistry. I don’t want to lose to him, he doesn’t want to lose to me, and we want to prove each other wrong. We want to knock each other out so it will always be a good fight.

“Eddie [Hearn] has publicly stated Joshua could fight me next, but whether he will or not I don’t know whether he or his people want it, then we wait to see. I would love to retire him.”

Whyte returned to the ring in December when he knocked out Ebenezer Tetteh in Gibraltar. The 36-year-old is keen on returning to the ring as soon as possible, with a fight date and opponent expected to be announced in due course.

British heavyweight Dillian Whyte is targeting a ‘trilogy’ fight with Anthony Joshua as he vows to retire his bitter rival.

The heavyweight duo first clashed on the amateur circuit 16-years ago, as ‘The Bodysnatcher’ claimed a points victory over a novice Joshua who hadn’t long had his first contest when the pair met.

Their bitter feud was reignited in December 2015 when ‘AJ’ captured the vacant British heavyweight title with an explosive 7th-round knockout victory over Whyte, who had rocked Joshua in the second round before eventually suffering the first defeat of his professional career.

Their highly anticipated rematch was due to happen in August 2023, but was cancelled after Whyte returned an adverse finding in a doping test. Finnish heavyweight Robert Helenius stepped in and was knocked out in seven rounds. Whyte was later cleared to box after an investigation found it was a contaminated supplement that caused the findings.

Joshua is expected to return to the ring for the first time since suffering a shock knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois last September, with Whyte putting himself forward to face his rival as he vows to finally send him into retirement.

Speaking to Sky Sports Boxing, ‘The Bodysnatcher’ welcomed the idea of facing the 35-year-old for the third time, but claimed he is ‘finished’ after that defeat to Dubois.

“If he wants to fight, then all they’ve got to do is call me. I’m always up for fighting AJ. No problem for me. However, personally, I think he’s finished. I think he made a huge mistake not taking the immediate rematch with Dubois. It was a world title fight, a great payday and the perfect opportunity to avenge his knockout loss.”

“Me and him will always be a good fight. We just have that chemistry. I don’t want to lose to him, he doesn’t want to lose to me, and we want to prove each other wrong. We want to knock each other out so it will always be a good fight.

“Eddie [Hearn] has publicly stated Joshua could fight me next, but whether he will or not I don’t know whether he or his people want it, then we wait to see. I would love to retire him.”

Whyte returned to the ring in December when he knocked out Ebenezer Tetteh in Gibraltar. The 36-year-old is keen on returning to the ring as soon as possible, with a fight date and opponent expected to be announced in due course.

Heavyweight ‘Giant’ Accepts Call To Face Anthony Joshua And Vows To KO Him Inside 3 Minutes

Anthony Joshua is in the market for his next opponent.

The two-time world heavyweight champion is looking to bounce back from a knockout loss at the hands of Daniel Dubois. At 35-years-old, Joshua wants big fights and one last crack at holding a belt again.

Turki Alalshikh of both Riyadh Season and the Ring Magazine spoke to TalkSPORT about ‘AJ’s next moves and said he would like to match him up with Congo’s Martin Bakole in Africa.

“We are open to see Joshua also against Bakole. I want to see this fight right. I want to see it but you know where I want to see it. I want to see it in Africa.”

With the retirement of Tyson Fury and thus that fight being currently off the table, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn also recently mentioned Bakole as a potential opponent.

Responding to Alalshikh’s tentative plan, Bakole welcomed the fight.

“They keep avoiding me and I’m so happy, and I’d like to thank his His Excellency Turki Alalshikh because he said himself he wants to see this fight [with Anthony Joshua].”

First up for the ‘African Giant’ is Efe Ajagba in a final eliminator for the IBF’s mandatory spot to face champion Dubois. Bakole recently took issue with ‘AJ’ siding with Nigeria’s Ajagba in that bout, saying he would win in style before beating the Brit in one round.

“I want to fight you. Look at Daniel Dubois – I broke his nose twice [in sparring] and he knocked you out cold. I will knock you out in the first round. You’re talking about Ajagba? Ajagba is a baby, wait till you see how I’m going to knock him out. I invite you to be there. You’re talking s**t. I want to fight you. Stop talking nonsense. Now you’re in Nigeria you’re not British anymore. I’m African giant. After knocking Ajagba out I will knock you out as well.”

Bakole vs Ajagba takes place in May on the same card as Ryan Garcia against Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero and Devin Haney up against Jose Ramirez.