Russian heavyweight boxer Alexander Povetkin has been reinstated in the WBO and WBA world rankings following their lifting of his ban for doping, his manager Andrey Ryabinsky told TASS on Tuesday.
Povetkin tested positive for ostarine the day of his proposed fight with Canadian Bermane Stiverne for a version of the WBC heavyweight title in December 2016.
Both the WBC and the IBF subsequently suspended Povetkin from their ratings, whereas the WBO refused to return Povetkin to their list. The WBA announced no action but Povetkin was a notable absentee from their list.
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“The World Boxing Council (WBC) is starting to hear out our side of the story, and I think they will take some measures, but there are no timelines,” said Povetkin manager Andrey Ryabinsky, who is CEO of Russian boxing promotion company World of Boxing, TASS reported.
Olympic gold medalist Povetkin returns to the ring on July 1 to fight Andriy Rudenko (pictured) at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, with the WBO international title on the line.
“Povetkin has been reinstated by the WBA and WBO, and the titles are on the line [in the fight against Rudenko]. Povetkin will rejoin the International Boxing Federation (IBF), as well as the WBC. We are gradually winning this battle,” Ryabinsky said.
Povetkin and Ryabinsky had been embroiled in a dispute relating to doping as far back as May 2016, when Povetkin tested positive in the week of his proposed WBC world heavyweight title fight with American Deontay Wilder in Moscow.
Povetkin was banned indefinitely by the WBC after a second failed test before his fight with Stiverne.
