UPDATE 3: Don King wants to make King-brand lemonade out of this situation. Here is his statement on the matter:
PROMOTER DON KING HOPES WBC WILL DECLARE BERMANE STIVERNE WBC INTERIM HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP
LAS VEGAS (Dec. 17, 2016) – 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.
“I’ve had a long-standing respect with the WBC, beginning with Jose Sulaiman and now with his son, Mauricio, who has done an incredible job filling his father’s shoes as WBC president and just got re-elected for four more years. I stand with them and with the WBC for trying to do things the right way and with their organization’s safety procedures in regard to the boxers and the sport.
“It’s sad but this guy, Povetkin, has become a total embarrassment. He’s now tested positive in two WBC heavyweight title fights in a row. I’m all for winning and losing fights in the ring, but it’s time for justice to prevail. I don’t know what’s going on over there with so many Russian athletes in so many sports testing positive for drugs, but it has to stop. They cannot be allowed to continue to do things the way they are.
“The WBC should declare Stiverne world champion, make him the mandatory for (WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay) Wilder, and let’s move on with it. There are a lot of great heavyweight fights that can be made with willing boxers who don’t break the rules every fight.
“I’m very disappointed for Bermane, who’s now gone through two training camps with nothing to show for it. Why put up all that money for travel and expenses and then have no fight. He was ready to beat Povetkin and regain a part of the WBC title.
“And then – worse yet — for them to try and put it on Bermane for not fighting is just ludicrous. They’re taking the victim and trying to set him up as the criminal in this.’’
Stiverne pulled out after the WBC withdrew its sanction because Poverkin tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine. WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman revealed the positive test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) on Saturday morning. Then, the WBC withdrew its recognition of the fight.
“There’s no reason to fight if the WBC won’t sanction the bout,” said Stiverne, who could have gone through with the bout but without the sanction opted not to. “I’m very disappointed in the actions of Povetkin. I’ve been training for months to be victorious.
“To wake up the day of the fight, have breakfast, take a nap and then find out he tested positive is the worst possible situation.”
This is the second time in seven months Povetkin (30-1-0, 22 KOs) has tested positive for a banned substance. He tested positive for Meldonium ahead of a scheduled May bout with Wilder, cancelling that fight.
If it had transpired, the winner of the fight for the WBC interim heavyweight title would have become the mandatory challenger to Wilder. Stiverne lost the WBC title to Wilder on a 12-round decision on Jan. 15, 2015. He’s the only fighter to go the distance with Wilder.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
UPDATE 2: A ripped looking Povetkin gave his fans red meat and stopped Duhaupas end of round six. A right hand-left hook, filthy left hook finisher sent Duhaupas on his back, where he clanged his head. It was a fairly scary KO, but after a spell the loser got to his feet, and the men exchanged pleasantries.
UPDATE: The trainer for Bermane Stiverne is Don House.
I messaged House in Russia and he told me the fight between Stiverne and Akexander Povetkin is OFF. Povetkin will keep the date, subbing in Johann Duhaupas, in a non title affair.
Stiverne himself had tested positive for banned energizer DMAA on Nov 4 but was cleared by the WBC which determined accidental ingestion.
Team Stiverne put out this release:
Ekaterinburg, Russia (December 17, 2016) Former World Boxing Council (‘WBC’) Heavyweight Champion BERMANE STIVERNE (25-2-1, 21 KO’s), of Las Vegas, Nevada, has elected not to face #1 ranked contender ALEXANDER POVETKIN, (30-1-0, 22 KO’s) today after Povetkin tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine and the World Boxing Council withdrew their recognition of the fight.
The positive test reported by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association was revealed by WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman on Saturday morning local time.
Said Stiverne, “There’s no reason to fight if the WBC won’t sanction the bout, I’m very disappointed in the actions of Povetkin. I’ve been training for months to be victorious.”
“To wake up the day of the fight, have breakfast, take a nap and wake up to find out he tested positive is the worst possible situation.”
“I’m headed back home to Las Vegas, hopefully the WBC will install me as the mandatory challenger to face (current WBC Heavyweight World Champion) Deontay Wilder. I want the opportunity to fight for the world title again, that was my whole reason to come to Russia was to earn that opportunity.”
The winner of Povetkin vs. Stiverne, contested for the WBC Interim Heavyweight Title, would have become the mandatory challenger for Wilder as declared previously by the WBC.
Stiverne lost a 12-round unanimous decision and the WBC Heavyweight Title to Wilder on January 17, 2015 in Las Vegas.
***********************************
For the second time in a row before a scheduled bout, Russian heavyweight Alexander Povetkin tested positive for a banned substance.
A day before a set bout with Bermane Stiverne in Russia word dropped that a VADA test showed traces of ostarine in a Povetkin sample, and that's a chemical which can work like a steroid.
For that reason, the WBC withdrew their sanction of the WBC interim heavyweight title fight.
Here is their ruling:
WBC RULING REGARDING ALEXANDER POVETKIN’S WBC CPB ADVERSE FINDING
ISSUED BY THE WBC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
December 16, 2016
I.ADVERSE FINDING
On December 16, 2016, VADA notified the WBC that Alexander Povetkin’s anti-doping test taken from his December 6, 2016 sample (the “Test”) pursuant to the WBC Clean Boxing Program (“CPB”) yielded an adverse analytical finding for the banned substance Ostarine. The Test was conducted pursuant to the CPB in connection with Mr. Povetkin’s bout against Bermane Stiverne for the WBC Heavyweight Interim World Championship scheduled to take place in Ekaterinburg, Russia on December 17, 2016.
II.OSTARINE
Ostarine is a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (“SARM”) which is believed to provide some of the same benefits of traditional anabolic/androgenic steroids such as testosterone (including increased muscle mass, fat loss, and bone density), while showing a lower tendency to produce unwanted side effects. At this stage, there are no SARMs available on the legitimate pharmaceutical market.
SARMs may be used by athletes to assist in training and increase physical stamina and fitness, potentially producing effects similar to anabolic steroids. For that reason, the World Anti-Doping Agency banned SARMs in January 2008.
III.MR. POVETKIN’S TEST AND RESULTS
The WBC learned of Mr. Povetkin’s anti-doping Test result about 20 hours before the scheduled Povetkin v. Stiverne Bout. For that reason, the WBC must make an immediate ruling on the matter.
IV.WBC'S INITIAL FINDINGS
Based on detailed research and information gathering, the WBC finds as follows:
1.Mr. Povetkin agreed to participate in the WBC CBP in connection with the Bout.
2.Ostarine is a banned substance under the WBC CPB by virtue of its inclusion in VADA's List of Banned Substances.
3.The anti-doping Test of the sample collected from Stiverne on 6, 2016, yielded an adverse analytical finding for Ostarine.
4.Mr. Povetkin tested positive for the banned substance Meldonium in April of 2016, on a test conducted under the WBC CBP. In that case, the WBC made a clear and specific ruling which the WBC will consider when issuing a final ruling in this case.
5.As the CBP's Results Manager, the WBC has complete discretion as to the extent and nature of any penalty it imposes upon Mr. Povetkin.
V.WBC BOARD OF GOVERNOR'S RULING
This WBC Board of Governor's ruling is based on the facts as known to the WBC at the time of the ruling. Based on the adverse analytical finding of Mr. Povetkin’s “A” December 6, 2016 sample, the WBC has ruled as follows:
1.The WBC CBP considers Mr. Povetkin’s adverse analytical finding for Ostarine a violation of the WBC CBP under its Protocol;
2.The WBC hereby withdraws its sanctioning of the Bout for the Heavyweight Interim World Championship; and
3.The WBC will conduct a thorough investigation of the circumstances of the case and will issue subsequent rulings as required.
1
